Help American Robins Beat the Summer Heat – 3 Wildlife-Friendly Tips to Keep Them Happy in Your Yard
As summer temperatures continue to climb, American robins can struggle to find the water, shade and food they need to stay healthy
There is nothing better than spotting a garden bird hopping across the yard on a summer morning, particularly American robins, filling July and August with their cheerful calls. With their rust-red breasts and familiar chirping presence, they are one of North America's most recognisable birds. Yet, as anyone who has spent time outside during a heatwave knows, soaring temperatures can be just as challenging for songbirds.
Unlike us, American robins cannot retreat indoors or switch on the air conditioning. Instead, they rely on gardens, parks and natural landscapes to provide cool shade, fresh drinking water and reliable sources of food during prolonged periods of hot weather. Unfortunately, long, dry summers can quickly dry up puddles and pools, harden the soil that robins forage in, and leave birds vulnerable to dehydration and heat stress.
The good news for us is that it is surprisingly easy to help American robins in the heat with a few thoughtful changes to your yard. By providing fresh water, creating shady refuges and planting species that naturally provide food and shelter, you can make your outdoor space a welcome wildlife sanctuary during even the hottest spells. Better still, many of these same ideas will also help to bring American robins into your yard while benefiting countless other birds, pollinators and native wildlife.
1. Keep Fresh Water Available At All Times
If there is one thing all garden birds needs during a heatwave, it is access to clean, shallow water. American robins, like goldfinches and warblers, are drawn to low bird baths and shallow dishes where they can both drink and bathe.
Bathing is just as important as drinking. Robins fluff their feathers and splash about to cool down, while keeping their plumage clean and in good condition.
Choose a bird bath with gently sloping sides and keep the water no deeper than around two inches. I would also position it somewhere with morning sun and afternoon shade, helping to keep the water cool during the hottest part of the day. Try this shallow glazed ceramic birdbath, available from Amazon.
Refresh the water daily to prevent disease and mosquito larvae from building up. For movement and a gentle trickling sound, add a solar-powered fountain, also available from Amazon, too. Moving water stays fresher for longer and the gentle trickling sound can attract robins and other thirsty garden birds from nearby plots.
2. Create Cool Shade With Native Trees and Shrubs
During the hottest part of the day, American robins (and all birds) also need somewhere cool to rest, which is why native trees and large shrubs are so valuable.
Not only do they cast welcome shade, but they also provide safe cover from predators and produce berries that robins rely on later in the season.
When writing my new book, The Ethical Gardener, available to preorder now on Amazon, one of the themes I return to is the importance of filling our backyards with plants that support wildlife. Berry producing trees that are native to your area are a good place to start, helping birds, pollinators and beneficial insects in countless ways.
So, in the US, think serviceberry, dogwoods or American beautyberry. These resilient shrubs and small trees create a cooler garden during summer while providing natural food that will keep American robins returning year after year.
Live native Appalachian dogwood trees are available to order via Walmart.
Another low growing option to line paths or rock gardens is creeping juniper, or Juniperus horizontalis, native to North America and hardy down to zone 4. What's more, the berries (that take a few years to produce on a mature plant) are perfect for hungry birds.
Low-growing juniper plants are available via Amazon here.
What to Shop
Dried and protein-rich mealworms are ideal for wild birds, including American robins.
Position this small metal bird bath in your borders among perennials and shrubs and watch robins flock.
The Ethical Gardener, by Thomas Rutter, includes tips on wildlife gardening and making yards sanctuaries for birds.
3. Feed Naturally and Sparingly
For the most part, American robins should be able to find everything they need from healthy soil and wildlife-friendly planting. Earthworms, beetles, caterpillars and berries are all part of their natural diet, which is another reason to avoid pesticides and keep your garden rich in organic matter.
During prolonged heat and drought, however, food can become harder to find as the ground dries out, earthworms tunnel deeper and insect numbers decline. At times like these, offering an appropriate alternative is a good idea, something like a handful of mealworms can give robins a welcome boost.
Mealworms are available to order from Amazon now.
It's a simple way to help American robins in the heat, but many other insect-eating garden birds during the toughest weeks of summer too. Just feed little and often to prevent food from spoiling.
It is not just American robins that can do with a little support in summer. Check out our guide for creating a hummingbird planter and make your yard a sanctuary for these popular garden visitors, too.
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