Erithacus rubecula
Latin name
Erithacus rubecula
Family
Chats and thrushes (Turdidae)
Distribution
Across the UK in woodland, hedgerows, parks and gardens.
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Habitat
Lawns, fields and city parks. Wilderness areas such as forests and woodlands.
When to see them
All year round.
Average size
13 - 14cm (5in)
Life-span
Average - 1.1 years
Oldest known - 12 years
Food
Worms, seeds, fruits and insects.
Robins spend quite a lot of their day hopping on the ground, searching for food, often flicking their wings as they do so. If you start digging in the garden you are almost certain to attract a robin, which will perch on a nearby fence or branch, waiting to inspect the newly-turned soil for grubs and worms. In the winter they will regularly visit a bird-table to eat kitchen scraps. In cold spells a robin will puff up its feathers to help keep warm. Robins are usually more secretive in the late summer when they are moulting and they sing less frequently at this time.
The robin is one of the few birds that hold a territory all year round. In summer a territory is defended by a mated pair, while each bird holds individual winter territories.
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Breeding territories average 0.55 ha in size - about six would fit onto an average-sized football pitch while winter territories are around half of this. The exact size depends on the quality of habitat and the density of birds in the area. In some areas, such as Scottish pinewoods with well-spaced, mature trees and few shrubs, breeding densities can be as low as 10 pairs per sq km, while a lowland woodland can support as many as 200-300 pairs per sq km.
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Territory boundaries are fluid, and change frequently as circumstances change.
The sole purpose of a robin's red breast is in territory defence: it is not used in courtship. A patch of red triggers territorial behaviour, and robins are known to persistently attack stuffed robins and even tufts of red feathers.
Robins and their nests are fully protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, which makes it an offence intentionally to kill, injure or take any wild bird.
It is an offence intentionally to take, damage or destroy the eggs, young or nest of a robin while it is being built or in use.
It is therefore essential to take care when hedge trimming or tree felling in the breeding season.
The male robin sings loudly in the early spring, hoping to attract a mate into his territory. When a partner has been found, the male brings his mate tasty bits of food which she begs from him with quivering wings - this strengthens the pair bond.
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The female builds the nest, usually amongst bushes or in ivy on trees, or in holes in walls, making a domed structure from leaves and grass, and lining it with roots, feathers and hair. However, robins often nest in unusual places such as old teapots, kettles, pans and inside sheds and garages.
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Mating occurs mainly from late March to June - robins sometimes even nest as early as January. The female lays 5 - 7 eggs which are whitish, lightly mottled with red-brown patches and spots. She incubates them for 12 - 15 days, whilst her mate brings her food at frequent intervals.
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When the eggs have hatched, both parents share the task of feeding the young, taking care of them for about three weeks, by which time they can fly and are independent. The baby robins are brown with spotted chests.
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If the first brood has been an early one, then the parents are likely to raise a second or third brood. Quite often the male takes over the feeding of the first fledglings while the female sits on a second clutch of eggs.
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Within the first two months after fledging, the young robins undergo their first moult and the adult plumage replaces the body feathers. The wing and tail feathers are moulted the following year.
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Nearly three-quarters of young robins die before they are one year old, most of them being caught by predators. The ones lucky enough to survive will establish their own territories before winter.
Overview
Territory
Legal Status
Breeding
Daily Life
The UK's favourite bird - with its bright red breast it is familar throughout the year and especially at Christmas! Males and females look identical, and young birds have no red breast and are spotted with golden brown. Robins sing nearly all year round and despite their cute appearance, they are aggressively territorial and are quick to drive away intruders. They will sing at night next to street lights.
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