adult

adult juv European distribution male singing

Identification

The red breast of course makes identification easy but it can be told even in silhouette or in its blotchy brown juvenile plumage, by its plump shape, upright stance and habit of making abrupt movements.

Habitat

Breeds and winters in gardens, woodland, parks, wasteground and hedges.

Behaviour

Robins sing throughout the year because each bird, male or female, will occupy its own territory during the winter. In order to defend their winter territories, the females have to sing and display just like males do. In spring the females have to persuade the males to stop fighting them and start co-operating with them in the raising of a family. To do this, when they encroach into the males territory they behave like young birds begging for food, thus stimulating the males to feed them rather than fight them.

Migration

Northernmost birds will winter south of their summer range, from western Europe as far south as the Sahara while southern populations are largely resident. Females disperse to find their own territories , a small percentage of British females winter abroad. Large numbers of birds from northern Europe pass through Britain before continuing 'en route' to Iberia and north Africa.

This information is taken from the BirdFile on the appropriate BirdGuides DVD-ROM. As well as video and sounds, our CD- and DVD-ROMs contain additional text on Voice, Sexing, Ageing, Food, Nests and Eggs and more.

For the purposes of our bird news services, Robin is classed as Common: common species, including species that are certain or probable escapees from captivity when occurring in the British Isles. (Note that rarity levels are currently applied nationally and may not reflect local variations in abundance.)

Tsvelodubovo, Leningrad Oblast, Russia (Europe) 28/08/2010	La Celle Saint Cloud, Île-de-France, France 24/08/2010	La Celle Saint Cloud, Île-de-France, France 24/08/2010	Calke Park, Derbys 21/08/2010	Wayoh Resr, Lancs 19/07/2010
Big Wtrs NR, Northumbs 18/08/2010	Cuil Bay, Highland 31/07/2010	Courance, Dumf & Gall 16/08/2010	New Forest, Hants 10/08/2010	La Celle Saint Cloud, Île-de-France, France 14/08/2010

 View all pictures of Robin

Robin breeds in the following countries (Bird News Extra subscribers will see population statistics and information on trends for each country):

Albania
Andorra
Armenia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Azores
Belarus
Belgium
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Britain
Bulgaria
Canary Islands
Croatia
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Faroe Islands
Finland
France
Georgia
Germany
Gibraltar
Greece
Hungary
Ireland
Italy
Latvia
Lichtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Madeira
Malta
Moldova
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Russia
Serbia and Montenegro
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey
Ukraine

http://blx1.bto.org/birdfacts/results/bob10990.htm   BTO BirdFacts: Robin	Edit this link
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gi128TK5qwk   Robin singing	Edit this link
Robin song compared to Blackbird	Broken link
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	RSPB: Robins seeking winter sun to perish this Christmas on Cyprus	Wednesday 23rd December 2009
	RSPB and Birdlife Cyprus condemn illegal trapping of songbirds.   read on
	BTO: Robins rue soggy summer	Tuesday 27th January 2009
	The second wet breeding season in a row has taken its toll on some of our favourite garden birds.   read on
	BTO: Look after your Robin this Christmas	Friday 19th December 2008
	Get advice on how you can protect your garden birds from Sparrowhawks.   read on

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