Robin Life Cycle: Nest Building To Fledging (and everything in between)
Robins (Erithacus rubecula), or European Robins as they are also known, are a familiar sight all across the UK. Easily recognised by their orange-red breast and face, brown-grey upperparts and whitish underparts.
In some parts of the UK the Robin is known as Robin Redbreast and was originally classified as a member of the Thrush family of birds. However, this has been revised, and the Robin is considered to be a member of the Chat family.
In this article we’ll take a close look at the Robin and find out when, how and where it builds its nest, how many eggs Robins lay, when the breeding season starts and much more besides. Keep reading to find out more.
Table of Contents
How Long Does A Robin Live?
The average lifespan of a Robin is around 13 months, this is because of a high mortality rate among Robins in their first year of life. If they survive past 13 months there’s a good chance of them living far longer.
Some individual Robins have survived for as long as 19 years according to ring data.
How Fast Can A Robin Fly?
The top flight speed of a Robin is around 30 to 35 miles per hour (48 to 56 km/h). As most Robins are sedentary and don’t migrate, they very rarely need to achieve this flight speed.
Most of the Robins recorded flying at these speeds were residents in the far northern range of their habitat. These birds semi-migrate to warmer areas during winter. It was during some of these winter migrations that the Robin’s top flight speed was recorded.
Are Robins Aggressive?
Male Robins are known for their highly aggressive behaviour. They will defend their territory against all comers. They are known to violently attack other males and competitors that either unwittingly or intentionally enter their territory.
They have even been known to attack smaller bird species without any apparent provocation, and have even been seen attacking their own reflection! Sadly, these violent attacks often result in fatalities and it has been estimated that around 10% of all Robin deaths are the result of territorial disputes.
What Is A Robin’s Habitat?
Robins can be seen all across Great Britain and Ireland. They thrive in woodland, farmland, heathland as well as urban and suburban habitats with some cover.
Their range extends from Siberia in the north down as far as Africa, spanning much of Europe including Spain and as far as the Middle East.
How Long Does It Take For A Robin To Build A Nest?
It typically takes a Robin around 4 days to build a nest but it can take anywhere between 2 to 6 days depending on the experience of the female. When the nest is built depends on the weather, in mild conditions, nest building can begin as early as January.
This makes the Robin one of the first birds in the UK to nest. Robin’s nests have been found in many unusual places including; old, disused machinery, barbecues, discarded kettles, watering cans, flower pots, old boots, and even upturned broom bristles.
Having said that, a typical Robin’s nest will be located around 6ft (2 metres) off the ground and tucked into a recess or hollow covered with vegetation. Although in some cases Robins will nest on the ground as long as there is some sort of cover.
The nest itself is constructed from moss, leaves, grass, which is lined with fur, hair and plant fibres. It is constructed into a cup-shape and starts with a layer of dead leaves as a base. The female is responsible for constructing the nest while the male brings her building materials and keeps a close watch over his territory.
Eggs
Once the pair are completely happy with their nest, and climatic conditions are favourable, the female will lay her eggs. This is the first stage in the new life cycle of the Robin and an important step for the parents.
When Do Robins Lay Eggs?
Although Robins can begin constructing their nests in January if the weather is favourable, the breeding season typically begins in March. They generally start laying eggs between mid-April and mid-August.
Due to the rapid rate of growth and development of the chicks, some Robin pairs can raise up to 3 broods each season.
How Many Eggs Does A Robin Lay?
A typical clutch of Robin eggs will contain 4 to 6 eggs and the female can lay up to 3 broods each season. This means that if all goes well, she could potentially raise 18 chicks in a single breeding season.
What Do Robin Eggs Look Like?
Robin eggs are white or creamy-white in colour and often covered in light brown speckles. The eggs are non-glossy and about 20 x 15 mm in size.
Each egg weighs around 2.4 grams with 6% of that weight being the weight of the shell.
How Long Do Robin Eggs Take To Hatch?
The eggs are incubated for around 14 to 16 days before the chicks hatch. The eggs need careful watching and regular turning to ensure that the embryos develop properly.
The female incubates the eggs on her own while the male brings her food and watches over his territory. It’s at this time when he will become most aggressive and will defend his mate, eggs and nest against all comers.
If you suspect there is a Robin’s nest in your garden, do not approach it as the birds are known to abandon a nest that they think might have been discovered.
Chicks
After the incubation period is over, we move on to the next exciting stage in the life cycle of the Robin, the chicks.
How Many Chicks Does A Robin Have?
On paper, it would appear that the number of chicks should correspond to the number of eggs laid. However, that isn’t always the case, in fact, it has been estimated that only 40% of Robins nests produce any young.
Plus, only around 25% of those that actually reach the fledgling stage survive to their first winter. This means that from 6 eggs laid, we can expect around 2 chicks to hatch. Assuming that this nest has been successful.
When Do Robin Chicks Open Their Eyes?
Robins are altricial when hatched which means they hatch with their eyes closed and are naked. They start to develop feathers after around 3 days and typically open their eyes around 5 days after hatching.
They don’t have perfect eyesight until around day 8 which is when they can start to see and recognise their parents and get more of the food that’s on offer.
When they first hatch they are reliant on their parents for everything, food, shelter, warmth and protection.
When Do Robin Chicks Fledge?
Robin chicks tend to fledge around 14 days after hatching. This means that it has taken 4 weeks for the eggs to develop, the chicks to hatch and then reach a development stage good enough for them to leave the safety of the nest.
After they fledge, the younglings will stay close to their parents for around 21 days. Their parents will feed them at first before showing them where to forage for their own food. The parents will also teach them how to avoid predators and start to survive on their own.
SEE ALSO: Whimbrel Diet and Size: Feeding Habits, Predators, and Measurements
Frequently Asked Questions
The average lifespan of a Robin is around 13 months. Robins have a high mortality rate in their first year. If they make it past 13 months there is a good chance they will survive for far longer. There have been individual birds that have survived for as long as 19 years according to ring records.
Robin eggs are white or creamy-white with light brown speckles. Each egg is around 20 x 15 mm in size.
Robin chicks tend to fledge at around 14 days old. This is roughly 28 days after the eggs were laid. This rapid development is one of the reasons that Robins can produce up to 3 broods each season.
