Robins: song, breeding season & food

What do robins eat and when do they breed? How do you tell males from females of robins? All the answers to these and other questions about the native bird can be found in our robin profile.

While other birds will fly up and away at the slightest movement, the robin (Erithacus rubecula) the intrepid personified. It is not uncommon for you to be able to approach the small songbirds to within a few meters. Their rust-red throat spot makes them unmistakable and very common in domestic gardens. In winter, the plump birds, which are already plump, often fluff up their plumage in order to To form an insulating layer against the cold - which makes them a bit like a small shuttlecock looks.

Characteristics of the robin

size	About 14cm
Weight	About 20g
breeding season	March – July
lifespan	About 3-5 years
habitat	forests, parks and gardens
feed preference	Soil-dwelling insects and their larvae, berries, fruits
threats	Nest predators, food shortages in winter

How to recognize robins

The robin is a rather small, plump songbird. Back and elytra are colored olive-brown; the belly is significantly lighter and more greyish-white. The breast, which gives the robin its name, is colored rusty red. The bright color extends over the beak to the eyes. Due to this striking feature, the robin can be identified very clearly. A special feature are the conspicuously large black eyes, which ensure sufficient incidence of light at dusk.

What does the robin's song sound like?

The robin's song begins with a few high, clear tones and then descends into a faster, chirping verse that has a somewhat melancholy tone. Also very characteristic are the calls, which are mostly heard in the twilight, like a fast ticking clock: "Tick-tick-tick-tick-tick".

The song of the robin sounds like this:

How do you recognize the young birds?

Young robins are by no means as conspicuous as their parents because they do not yet have a rust-red throat patch. Their brown plumage is streaked with golden-yellow speckles and only the light-colored belly is reminiscent of the adult robins.

How do you recognize robin eggs?

The robin produces between four and seven eggs per clutch. These are about two centimeters in size, have a whitish-yellow basic color and are covered with reddish-brown spots.

How do male and female robins differ?

At first glance, female robins do not differ from males. The gray edge area around the red breast, which is wider in the males than in the females, is considered to be a distinguishing feature. However, this feature also changes with the age of the animals and is therefore difficult to assess for the inexperienced eye. Since females rarely sing, one can identify the song-loving specimens as males with a high degree of probability – at least during the breeding season.

What is the perfect habitat for robins?

Robins prefer breeding areas near water, naturally in deciduous, mixed or coniferous forests, but also in man-made landscapes such as parks and gardens. Since they forage primarily in the soil, some areas with little undergrowth are an advantage.

Where do they build their nest?

Robins build their nests near the ground. In the forest they use the undergrowth and natural cavities, in cultural landscapes hedges, heaps of brushwood or piles of wood. The bowl-shaped nest is made of moss and grass and padded with animal hair or feathers.

When is the breeding season for robins?

Robins breed from March to July. Up to three broods are possible during this time. The female incubates the eggs for about 14 days and is fed by the male during this time. After hatching, the young are cared for in the nest for a further 14 days. During this time, due to the fact that they lay eggs close to the ground, they are very susceptible to nest predators such as cats, martens or magpies. Due to this high mortality, the parents often start building the next nest before the first brood is completely independent.

Where do robins spend the winter?

Our native robins also spend the cold season in their breeding area. The males defend their territories all year round, which is why you can still hear them singing in late spring. A special feature of the robin is that in winter the females also partially occupy territories that provide them with food in the poor times. In the spring they return to their partners from last year.

Support robins: Here's how

Even if robins are often found in home gardens, there are a number of ways to make it easier for them to settle. Especially in winter, garden birds are often dependent on additional support because the natural food supply is often not sufficient.

Food for robins

Robins prefer to look for small insects and their larvae in the ground. But they also use berries and fruits. Soft food in the form of oatmeal, raisins and apples can be offered as additional food. Also our Plantura year-round bird seed is great for robins. The colorfully mixed birdseed contains many valuable ingredients, which, thanks to their beak-friendly size and an extra A load of protein not only helps the birds through the winter, but also the expectant bird parents during the breeding season support.

Which nest boxes are suitable for robins?

As an artificial nesting option, half-cave boxes are well suited for robins. Instead of a round entrance hole, these have a larger opening, which should be ten centimeters high for robins. They are also happy about these nesting aids Spotted Flycatcher, wagtail and wren. You can find more tips on the material, dimensions and proper cleaning in our article "Build your own nest box“.

How can you give additional support to robins?

Since robins prefer to search for insects in the soil, a healthy soil fauna is essential for them. Our Plantura organic soil activator helps you to improve soil life in a targeted manner and has a sustainable and environmentally friendly long-term effect thanks to its primarily organic components.

Robins are real water lovers. They are therefore often found near bodies of water and in wetter areas. If you don't want to create a stream right away, you can also use a simple bird bath, in which robins like to splash around extensively.

Tip: At the same time, a bird bath always acts as a bird bath. All other garden birds, for example, are also happy about this, especially in hot temperatures blackbird or great tit.