European Robin
European Robin Facts
| Size | 5-5.5 inches (12.5-14 cm) |
| Speed | 19-38 mph (30-60 km/h) |
| Weight | 0.6-0.8 ounces (16-22 grams) |
| Lifespan | 12-13 months |
| Food | Spiders, worms, snails |
| Predators | Cats, dogs, birds of prey, snakes, rodents |
| Distribution | Europe, North Africa, Russia |
| Habitat | Gardens, parks, underbrush, hedges, forests |
| Order | Passerines |
| Suborder | Songbirds |
| Family | Flycatchers |
| Scientific name | Erithacus rubecula |
| Characteristics | Small songbird, orange breast plumage, beautiful song |
Main Characteristics
The robin is a small bird famous for its bright orange-colored breast feathers and beautiful song. Few other birds sing as charmingly! The robin is particularly popular among gardeners because it feeds on pests. Despite its friendly appearance and lovely singing, it can be quite aggressive towards its own kind and other birds.
Distribution and Habitat
European robins are found across Europe, North Africa, and Russia. They favor habitats such as forests, hedges, bushes, and undergrowth. Because they enjoy bathing and frequently clean their feathers in water, they often choose locations near bodies of water. As a result, they can frequently be spotted in gardens, parks, and cemeteries.
Way of Life
Robins are solitary creatures. They are primarily active during the day, spending their time searching for food, defending their territory, singing, bathing, building nests, incubating eggs, and feeding their young.
Anatomy and Appearance
Size and Weight
Robins measure 5-5.5 inches (12.5-14 cm) in length, have a wingspan of 7.8-8.7 inches (20-22 cm), and weigh 0.6-0.8 ounces (16-22 grams). They are roughly the same size as a great tit.
Plumage
Robins are easily identifiable. They have bright orange feathers on their chest and face. The feathers on their back are brown to bluish-gray, while their belly is light gray to white. Their eyes, beak, and legs are dark brown to black.
Male or Female – What’s the Difference?
It is challenging to distinguish between male and female robins, as they look almost identical. Both have the same features, particularly the vibrant orange on their chest.
Diet
Robins are omnivores. They primarily feed on insects, such as spiders, worms, and snails. In winter, when prey is scarce, they supplement their diet with fruits, seeds, and berries.
Behavior
Are Robins Migratory Birds?
Robins that inhabit Northern and Eastern Europe are migratory. Before winter, they fly south to spend the winter near the Mediterranean and in the Middle East, where it is warmer. They depart in October and return in March. Robins in Western, Southern, and Central Europe remain in their habitat year-round.
Robins Love Gardeners and Wild Boars
Robins often seek the company of animals or people who dig in the ground, such as wild boars or gardeners. This activity brings insects to the surface, providing a tasty snack for the birds.
Singing
When Do Robins Sing?
Robins are up bright and early. They start singing an hour before sunrise and continue to chirp for about an hour after sunset.
Beautiful Melodies
Robins have a magical song. They master up to 275 enchanting melodies made up of high, clear notes that are constantly being composed anew. Their sounds can be flutelike, flowing, trilling, babbling, or "bubbling". In spring, they sing more often, while in winter, they sing less frequently.
The Perfect 'Stage'
For singing, they prefer a high spot so they can be heard well - especially by the females.
Males and Females
Both male and female robins sing. The males sing louder and for longer, while the females sing softer and for shorter durations.
Abilities and Senses
Magnetic Sense
Robins possess a magnetic sense, which means they navigate using the Earth's magnetic field. This was discovered by the German zoologist and behavioral researcher Wolfgang Wiltschko in the 1970s. Since then, this magnetic sense has also been found in many other bird species.
Life Expectancy
While great tits and blue tits can live for 2-3 years, robins surprisingly have a shorter lifespan. Typically, they do not live much longer than 12-13 months. However, there is an astonishing record: a banded robin found in Poland lived for a documented 19 years and four months.
Enemies and Threats
Natural Enemies
Robins face many challenges. In addition to domestic cats and dogs, birds like sparrows, tawny owls, jays, magpies, crows, and jackdaws pose a threat to them. Furthermore, mice, rats, weasels, martens, badgers, squirrels, and foxes are after their eggs.
Human impact
Loss of Habitat
For farmers, field edges with old hedges, bushes, and undergrowth are seen as impractical, leading to their removal. However, this is precisely the habitat for robins. In gardens, old bushes and hedges are also quickly taken out when they no longer look 'pretty' enough.
Pesticides and Insecticides
Insects are the primary food source for robins. However, pest control chemicals reduce the number of insects – causing the birds to starve and have fewer or no offspring at all. Additionally, they can die from consuming poisoned insects.
Helping Robins
Especially during cold winters, robins appreciate an extra serving of food. There is special feed designed for them that includes fat, seeds, and mealworms. In spring, you can offer them semi-open nesting boxes, which should be hung at a height of 6.5-9.8 feet (2-3 meters).
Reproduction
Mating Season
Males start singing as early as January to mark the boundaries of their territory and attract females.
Aggressive Males
Especially during the breeding season, the males are aggressive towards their peers. When a rival approaches their territory, they typically attack immediately. Up to 10% of robins may die in these confrontations. They even attack their own reflection, for example, in a mirror or window.
Breeding Season
The breeding season begins around March and lasts until the end of July. During this time, robins can have young up to three times.
Eggs
After mating, the female lays 5-6 eggs. These eggs are light to reddish-brown and speckled.
Nest
The eggs are incubated in a cup-shaped nest made of moss, grasses, leaves, hair, and feathers. When it comes to location, robins are not very picky. Anything suitable for nesting will do. They even use mailboxes, old hats and boots, flower pots, or grills (!). They also readily accept a nesting box if one is provided for them.
Chicks
After 12-14 days, the chicks hatch. At birth, the chicks do not have orange plumage. They are brown and white speckled all over. They gradually develop their beautiful color. Both parents feed the chicks, and they are big enough to leave the nest after 14-16 days.
Fun Facts
Bird of the Year 2021
In Germany, the robin was named Bird of the Year in 2021. Prior to that, it was the Bird of the Year in 1992.
The European Robin Is Related To:
- Oxpecker
- Starling
- Thrush
Animals in the Same Biome:
- Blue Tit
- Common Blackbird
- Common Chaffinch
- Eurasian Bullfinch
- Eurasian Skylark
- Eurasian Wren
- Great Spotted Woodpecker
- Goldfinch
- Great Tit
- Insects
- Magpie
- Marten
- Pied Flycatcher
- Red Fox
- Red Squirrel
- Robin
- Snails
- Sparrow
- Sparrowhawk
- Spiders
- Starling
- Weasel
- Wild Boar
- Worms
Sources:
- „Robin“ (https://euring.org)
- „Non-breeding European robins adjust their song in noisy environments“ (https://academic.oup.com)
- „Robins have a magnetic compass in both eyes“ (https://www.nature.com)
