Our neighbor has a huge holly tree (bush). It must be 40 feet high. Yesterday, I saw a large flock of birds descend on the tree. There were dozens and dozens of robins pecking at the berries.
I guess the poor fellows had nothing else to eat and when all else fails, birds will eat holly berries. I have seen flocks of cedar waxwings dive-bomb holly trees and bushes, but not robins.
Holly berries are poisonous to many species, but birds have a high toxic tolerance and can safely consume those berries, but they can only safely eat a few at a time. Other birds that eat holly berries in the winter include bluebirds, blackbirds, waxwings and thrushes.
Since the snow (and mostly ice) has begun to melt a bit, the robins have been all over our back yard. We leave lots of mulch and dead leaves over our flower beds, where the robins are finding grubs and bugs as they root among the leaves.
Still, it was interesting to see an entire flock eating berries from the holly tree. In nature, you do whatever is necessary to stay alive.
