European robin

The European robin, known simply as the robin or robin redbreast in the British Isles, is a small insectivorous passerine bird that belongs to the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae. It is found across Europe, east to Western Siberia and south to North Africa; it is sedentary in the west and south of its range, and migratory in the north and east of its range where winters are harsher.

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Distribution

Region

Europe, North Africa, and Western Siberia

Typical Environment

Occurs across most of Europe, extending east to western Siberia and south to North Africa and Mediterranean islands. Prefers woodlands with dense undergrowth, hedgerows, parks, and gardens. Breeds in temperate forests, scrub, and urban green spaces, and winters in milder lowlands and coastal areas. Generally avoids open treeless habitats and very arid deserts.

Altitude Range

0–2000 m

Climate Zone

Temperate

Characteristics

Size12.5–14 cm

Wing Span20–22 cm

Male Weight0.018 kg

Female Weight0.017 kg

Life Expectancy3 years

Ease of Keeping

Beginner friendly: 1/5

Useful to know

A familiar garden bird in much of Europe, the European robin is famed for its orange-red breast and clear, melodious song. It is strongly territorial year-round and will boldly approach people, often following gardeners turning soil. In British culture it is a symbol of winter and frequently appears on holiday cards.

Gallery

Adult and juvenile Gran Canaria robins

Tenerife robin Erithacus rubecula superbus, Los Silos, Tenerife

Juvenile, Sussex

Robin eating seeds in France

Robin with mealworm

Very weak radio-frequency interference prevents migratory robins from orienting correctly to the Earth's magnetic field. Since this would not interfere with an iron compass, the experiments imply that the birds use a radical-pair mechanism.[45]

Behaviour

Temperament

solitary and territorial

Flight Pattern

short rapid wingbeats with low, direct flights between perches

Social Behavior

Pairs form in late winter or spring; males defend territories vigorously with song and displays. Nests are cup-shaped, placed low in dense cover, banks, or cavities, including unusual sites like pots or sheds. Typically raises 2 broods per season where conditions allow.

Migratory Pattern

Partial migrant

Song Description

A sweet, fluting warble with varied phrases delivered from exposed perches, often heard even in winter. Alarm calls are sharp metallic ticks; subsong is softer and more rambling.

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Identification

Comb Type

Plumage Description

Feather Color

Leg Color

Earlobe Color

Eye Color

Feeding Habits

Diet

Preferred Environment

Requires Supplement

Population

Conservation Status

Species Status

Wild Population

Total Known Population

European rock pipit

The European rock pipit, or simply rock pipit, is a species of small passerine bird that breeds in western Europe on rocky coasts. It has streaked greyish-brown upperparts and buff underparts, and is similar in appearance to other European pipits. There are two subspecies, of which the nominate is non-migratory, and the Fennoscandian one is migratory, wintering in shoreline habitats further west and south in Europe. The European rock pipit is territorial at least in the breeding season, and year-round where it is resident. Males will sometimes enter an adjacent territory to assist the resident in repelling an intruder, behaviour only otherwise known from the African fiddler crab.

European roller

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European shag

The European shag or common shag is a species of cormorant. It is the only member of the monotypic genus Gulosus. It breeds around the rocky coasts of western and southern Europe, southwest Asia and north Africa, mainly wintering in its breeding range except for the northernmost birds. In Britain this seabird is usually referred to as simply the shag. The scientific genus name derives from the Latin for glutton. The species name aristotelis commemorates the Greek philosopher Aristotle.

European stonechat

The European stonechat is a small passerine bird that was formerly classed as a subspecies of the common stonechat. Long considered a member of the thrush family, Turdidae, genetic evidence has placed it and its relatives in the Old World flycatcher family, Muscicapidae. It is found across Europe, as far east as Ukraine and the South Caucasus, and in parts of North Africa.

European storm petrel

The European storm petrel, also known as British storm petrel, or just storm petrel, is a species of seabird in the northern storm petrel family, Hydrobatidae. The small, square-tailed bird is entirely black except for a broad, white rump and a white band on the under wings, and it has a fluttering, bat-like flight. The large majority of the population breeds on islands off the northern coasts of Europe, with the greatest numbers in the Faroe Islands, United Kingdom, Ireland, and Iceland. The Mediterranean population is a separate subspecies whose strongholds are Filfla Island (Malta), Sicily, and the Balearic Islands. This subspecies is indiscernible at sea from its Atlantic relatives.