Gardening
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The Secret Life Of The Robin
Revered garden guru Dr DG Hessayon explains why the jolly little red-breasted chap on your Christmas cards may not be as cuddly as he looks
A nationwide survey revealed that the robin is our favourite bird, and the reason is not difficult to find. When many of our songsters have deserted the garden in winter the robin is still there, resplendent in its red waistcoat and hopping jauntily in the snow. It sings almost all year round - a plaintive warbling song which is most welcome when other birds are silent.
And it is our robin, as the bird you see in your garden is as territorial about the area as you are. It is his (or her) garden too, and there is a special relationship between the gardener and the bird. When digging or hoeing the robin stands close by - hopping around your feet to pick up the worms and insects that are exposed, or standing on top of your spade.
Before the age of gardening the robin was a shy woodland bird. It has remained so over much of Europe, but in Britain it has become almost tame - if you buy some mealworms from the local pet shop it may feed from your hand. Bold and fearless in many ways, it is still at heart a woodland bird and does not like to venture too far away from trees and shrubs.
Is the robin as friendly as it seems?
The robin enjoys human company more than any other wild bird, and it will accompany you in the garden, knock at the window and even venture through the door. It is a friendship of convenience, as people are regarded as food providers. Once it was cattle and deer which were followed for the insects exposed by their hooves - now it is people with their spades, hoes and bird tables.
This friendliness does not extend to its relatives - the robin is the most territorial and one of the most aggressive of all birds. Both males and females adopt territores which can extend up to an acre, and any red-breasted robin entering this territory will be threatened and attacked if need be - and it can be a fight to the death. Juveniles without red breasts are exempted and so are partners at breeding-time, but rival robins must stay away. Its pretty song is not an outpouring of joy - it is a warning that the territory will be defended.
Birds other than robins may be tolerated or attacked, and our red-breasted friends are generally a nuisance at a bird table - driving away other species which are trying to feed. It is a good idea to feed a robin away from the bird table. Obviously, the robin is not as friendly as it seems.
Do robins have a normal family life?
Robins certainly do not have the typical family life of the British bird - the hen plays a most unusual role. She is the liberated woman of the bird world.
Both sexes look alike and the female, like the male, sings for most of the year to warn off intruders and she will fight to defend her territory. At the beginning of the year the cock robin sings to inform the females in the area that he is available, and it is the females who leave their territories to look for a suitable mate. Once paired it is the male's job to provide the food and both nest-building and incubation are left to the female.
Nests are built in sheds, garages, trees or hedges, and discarded objects may be used - kettles, biscuit tins, old boots, etc. Breeding begins as early as March or as late as June, depending on the location. About five eggs are laid and there are two or three broods a year.
More on the robin
- The Festive Garden Quiz - a light-hearted quiz based on the writing of Dr DG Hessayon
- The robin in song - a charming portrait
- Terry Walton enjoys the company of a robin down on the allotment
- Join the conversation about robins at Saga Zone
- Garden wildlife - portraits of creatures great and small
Extracted from The Bedside Book of the Garden by Dr DG Hessayon. The book is available from the Saga Shop.
