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The robin is an easily recognizable songbird. The red colored throat is typical. The eggs of the robin are less easy to recognize. The most important features are in this article.
In a nutshell
- the robin is a ground nester
- prefers clutches in bushes, embankments or at low altitudes in caves
- rarely uses nesting aids
- Hardly to be confused with other bird species
breeding season and nest
The pair of robins breeds from April to July. Two broods usually occur. The female builds the nest while the male marks the territory by singing. As a building material, the female uses grass, moss. foliage and fine roots. As ground breeders, robins almost never build their nests in trees or bushes, but for example:
Source: Neptul, Bird's Nest Ground Breeders, edited from Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
- abandoned nests of other songbirds
- cans
- pots
- watering cans
- bucket
- Shoes
Appearance of robin eggs
The clutch consists of between five and seven eggs. Most robins lay exactly six eggs. The robin egg is oval or short-oval and has a matt sheen. The basic color is light, mostly whitish or beige, but always with a certain amount of red. There are red-brown or rust-red spots on the shell, which become increasingly dense towards the blunt pole. Sometimes they even form a circle around the egg. The clutches of the various subspecies of the robin are similar, in particular the coloring is inherited from mothers to daughters.
Source: Klaus Rassinger and Gerhard Cammerer, Museum Wiesbaden, Erithacus rubecula MWNH 2258, edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
confusion
The egg size is about 20 mm in length and 16 mm in diameter. Because of these dimensions and coloration, it is difficult to confuse robin eggs with other songbird eggs.
How can you support robins?A natural garden is the best help. Hedges or bushes should be made of trees that have thorns and are very dense to deter predators. In addition, the songbirds sometimes use oval-shaped nest boxes that are not too high.
What enemies does the robin have?They are often predators such as martens, cats, rats, foxes, badgers and birds of prey such as owls, sparrowhawks and buzzards. Man is also an enemy of the songbird by destroying the habitat and using poisons in agriculture.
What to do if you find an abandoned clutch?The clutch should be observed for a while to find out if it really is abandoned. The parents usually return at some point and continue incubating if they are undisturbed.
Can robin eggs be hatched artificially?This would theoretically be possible with a suitable incubator, but laypeople without background knowledge can rarely do it successfully.