Wildlife Welfare

Wild Redwing Winter Welfare

Redwings are migratory thrushes wintering in UK from Scandinavia and Iceland that face welfare challenges from hard winters reducing access to their berry and soil invertebrate food.

Key Facts

Redwings arrive in the UK from October to March feeding on berries and invertebrates
Hard winters cause redwings to flock to gardens where they feed on fallen apples and berries
Prolonged snow cover prevents access to soil invertebrates causing nutritional stress
Redwing mortality during severe winters is significant with regular fall-outs on coasts
UK gardens provide important supplementary feeding habitat during cold snaps

Welfare Considerations

Redwing welfare during UK winter depends on access to berry crops and unfrozen ground for invertebrate foraging. Garden provision of berry-bearing shrubs and supplementary food provides welfare support for these beautiful migratory visitors during food-scarce cold spells.

What You Can Do

Plant berry-bearing shrubs including hawthorn, holly, and rowan to feed winter thrushes
Provide fallen apples in your garden during hard winter weather for redwings
Report redwing sightings to BTO Garden BirdWatch to support population monitoring