What do Robins eat at feeders
Robins in the States are not really compatible with awkward, unstable bird feeders, thus are only going to eat what they like on a stable bird feeder.
What do Robins eat at feeders is primarily dried mealworms as insects are what they forage for in the wild, with suet a favorite. Fruit makes up 60% of their diet yearly, so with no fruit bird feeder available, it can be added on top of a platform bird feeder - which is compatible with a Robins limited ability at a bird feeder.
Nasty as it is to imagine handling dried mealworms, it certainly can be the only bird food an American Robin will happily feed on.
Best way to feed Robins dried mealworms will be on top of a platform feeder or on a wire mesh dish, whereas throwing dried mealworms on a ground bird feeder will see it used often, while at the same time will keep the yard tidy.
Other than dried mealworms there's the live mealworm option; not for the faint-hearted I'll admit; though with Robins associating the live mealworms with earthworms they eat in the wild, it should go down a storm.
Suet is a favorite of Robins if they can access it, with a standard hanging cage suet feeder not being compatible with Robins unfortunately.
You'd need to sit this cage suet bird feeder on its side on a surface within the yard, or why not sit it on top of a platform bird feeder.
When choosing what suet cakes or fat balls to use, favor the insect or fruit suet to be sure Robins eat off it as its part of their diet.
What else you can put out for Robins they will eat is fresh fruit or dried up options. Robins are seen to eat an apple or will prefer juicy berries.
Dried mealworms
American Robins are primarily insect eating birds in the wild, thus are sure to feed mostly on insect based bird food if you can spare it.
It has to be said to serve up insects to birds in our yards its not going to be everyone's cup of tea - in fact it something must of us would never comprehend.
Thankfully there's a solution to this yucky part of feeding common backyard birds things we don't like, in which case dried insects will do it.
Not any insects mind you, as you can feed Robins specialty dried mealworms on top of a feeder or on the ground - as they remain widely available at most pet stores or supermarkets.
Mealworms can be offered alive and will go down well with Robins even more, as its the closest thing to feeding them earthworms.
Dried mealworms are the second best thing as they are dried up, thus easy to work with when offering them to birds.
In fact, you can soak dried mealworms in warm water for a few minutes to juice them up, while making them appeal more appetizing as they plump up as well.
Mealworm or fruit suet
Sticking to the subject of dried mealworms, or indeed insects to feed wild birds, you can offer American Robins them in the form of suet.
Suet in the suet cake type, fat balls or pellets, including the fairly new suet nuggets, can be offered to Robins with great success.
No common backyard bird doesn't like to munch on a fatty suet cake, and if the main ingredient is filled with close to what they feed on in the wild, you'll have a winner.
To feed Robins suet only make it the mealworm laced suet as it will go down a treat.
Similarly, baring in mind American Robins are also fruit eating birds, why not experiment by offering them fruit based suet.
Hanging suet cage bird feeders is not really a device a Robin can get around, as they never cling to a mesh cage nor are they seen to make use of a perch properly.
You'd therefore have to feed Robins suet in the fruit or dried mealworm kind, within a suet cage feeder still - but only if its placed on its side on an accessible surface within your yard.
Mix fruits atop of platform
You can offer Robins all kinds of fruit in your yard, though without a wild bird fruit bird feeder in existence, you'd have to improvise.
Never put any kind of berries or fresh fruits in bird feeders as its sure to quickly go stale, and therefore rot with bacteria - an open top platform bird feeder will only hold fruit of this kind.
Robins do eat berries on a bird feeder that uses a flat top platform, with a hanging, mounted or platform bird feeder on a pole doing the trick. As Robins are ground eating birds, a ground platform bird feeder will be used without issues.
Mix fruit can be dried fruits of the apricot, currents or raisins kind, or why not offer Robins the opportunity to feed on apples, strawberries or raspberries, among others.
Atop a platform bird feeder these fruits can be offered for a short while before they rot.
And if you like, these same fruits can be offered on a stable, but accessible wire mesh dish - mounted to a pole or hanging off a bracket.
Feeders to use
Robins bless them will give all kinds of bird feeders a try if it means tasty bird treats are up for grabs - though remember Robins are not common bird feeder birds, thus are seen to struggle to use them.
American Robins in which case can be seen to try and feed off a seed feeder, thus are seen to struggle on the perch - yet have real difficulty in coming to terms with the small seed ports.
And while this behavior is rare to see its vital you only setup bird feeders Robins can use.
With all that I suggest you only feed American Robins on top of a wooden platform bird feeder.
Feeders can be sitting on top of a pole, hanging up on chains or screwed to the wall. What is a more accessible bird feeder Robins will have no issues tackling, is a platform ground bird feeder.
Robins are ground eating birds officially, thus will appreciate a ground bird feeder setup in a safe spot in the yard.
What Robins eat in the wild can be on top of this platform, while their favorite dried or live mealworms, a few bites on seed mixes, and nuts... and any type of fruit - fresh or dried - can be offered without restrictions.
To conclude
What Robins are going to eat at bird feeders will be anything closely related to what they feed off in the wild.
In the wild American Robins will forage for mostly insects, berries and earthworms.
Knowing that, you can subsidize insects with dried mealworms, or go one better by offering live mealworms to replace their favorite earthworms that wiggle about, thus will certainly get the Robins attention.
Robins do eat berries in the wild with fruit making up 60% of the diet all year around, well unfortunately a bird feeder of this type doesn't exist.
Good news is you only need an open to the elements, accessible for all platform bird feeder, commonly made in wood.
It can be a roofed platform bird feeder yet the open top is less restricting. You can add all this on top of a platform feeder, all while experimenting with other bird food.
What bird feeder you must use to allow American Robins to feed off must be platform feeders only - with the exception of open wire mesh dishes that hang or are mounted.
Robins are not bird feeder birds, and will struggle to use it unless is accessible, stabilized and preferably on the ground - just because Robins are common ground feeding birds.
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