Robin, Robin redbreast
The European robin (Erithacus rubecula) is a small insectivorous passerine bird. The term robin is also applied to some birds in other families with red or orange breasts. These include the American robin (Turdus migratorius ), a thrush, and the Australasian robins of the family Petroicidae.
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DiurnalDiurnal animals are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The timing of activity by an animal depends ...
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CarnivoreA carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of a...
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InsectivoresAn insectivore is a carnivorous plant or animal that eats insects. An alternative term is entomophage, which also refers to the human practice of e...
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ArborealArboreal locomotion is the locomotion of animals in trees. In habitats in which trees are present, animals have evolved to move in them. Some anima...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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AltricialAltricial animals are those species whose newly hatched or born young are relatively immobile. They lack hair or down, are not able to obtain food ...
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OviparousOviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive...
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TerritorialA territory is a sociographical area that which an animal consistently defends against the conspecific competition (or, occasionally, against anima...
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Generally solitaryGenerally solitary animals are those animals that spend their time separately but will gather at foraging areas or sleep in the same location or sh...
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Partial MigrantPartial migration is when within a migratory species or even within a single population, some individuals migrate while others do not.
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starts withThe male and female European robins are similar in coloration, with an orange breast and face lined with grey, brown upperparts, and a whitish belly. The bill and eyes are black. Juveniles are spotted brown and white in coloration, with patches of orange gradually appearing.
European robins occur in Eurasia east to Western Siberia, south to Algeria, and on the Atlantic islands as far west as the Central Group of the Azores and Madeira. Irish and British robins are largely resident but a small minority, usually female, migrate to southern Europe during winter, a few as far as Spain. Scandinavian and Russian robins migrate to Britain and western Europe to escape the harsher winters. European robins prefer spruce woods in northern Europe, contrasting with their preference for parks and gardens in Ireland and Great Britain. These may also be found in grasslands, shrubby vegetation, hedgerows with some tall trees, orchards, and farmlands.
European robins are active during the day, however, they may also hunt insects on moonlit nights or near artificial light at night. These are generally solitary and territorial birds, and males are noted for their highly aggressive territorial behavior. They will fiercely attack other males and competitors that stray into their territories and may even attack other small birds without apparent provocation. European robins communicate using a variety of calls, including a ticking note that usually indicates anxiety or mild alarm. During the breeding season, robins produce a fluting, warbling song. Both the male and female sing during the winter, when they hold separate territories; the song then sounds more plaintive than the summer version. The female typically moves a short distance from the summer nesting territory to a nearby area that is more suitable for winter feeding. The male keeps the same territory throughout the year. During the breeding season, males usually initiate their morning song an hour before civil sunrise and usually terminate their daily singing around thirty minutes after sunset. They may also sing at night, especially in urban areas that are artificially lit during the night.
European robins are carnivores (insectivores). They prey on a wide range of terrestrial invertebrates, such as spiders, worms, and insects. In autumn and winter, they will supplement their usual diet with berries and fruit. They will also eat seed mixtures placed on bird tables.
European robins start to breed in late March. They may choose a wide variety of sites for building a nest. This can be a depression or hole, as well as the usual crevices, or sheltered banks, pieces of machinery, barbecues, bicycle handlebars, bristles on upturned brooms, discarded kettles, watering cans, flower pots, and even hats. The nest itself is composed of moss, leaves, and grass, with fine grass, hair, and feathers for the lining. The female lays 2 or 3 clutches of 5-6 eggs which are cream, buff, or white speckled or blotched with a reddish-brown color. Incubation lasts about 12-14 days, performed by the female alone. Newly hatched chicks are cared for by both parents for around 14-16 days until they are ready to fly from the nest.
European robins are widespread throughout their native range and don't face any major threats at present. However, in some areas, they suffer from illegal hunting, the use of pesticides, and severe winters
According to the IUCN Red List, the total population size of the European robin is around 130,000,000-201,000,000 mature individuals. In Europe, the breeding population of this species consists of 58,700,000-90,500,000 pairs, which equates to 117,000,000-181,000,000 mature individuals. Currently, the European robin is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List, and its numbers today are increasing.
