Common Nesting Birds

meet your neighbors

Change Species:

American Robin (Turdus migratorius)

Photo © Michele Polimine

American Robin

Photo © Sharon Beals, from the collection of the California Academy of Sciences

American Robin Nest Detail

Photo © Graham Sorenson

American Robin Eggs

Photo © Kristi Gould

American Robin Side View

Photo © Mike Conley

fs_robin

Photo © Laura Meyers

Adult male

Photo © Alex Eberts / Macaulay Library

Adult

Photo © Joshua Covill / Macaulay Library

Adult (San Lucas)

Photo © Dubi Shapiro / Macaulay Library

Female/immature male

Photo © Ryan Schain / Macaulay Library

Female/immature male

Photo © Shawn Loewen / Macaulay Library

Female/immature male

Photo © Mike Cameron / Macaulay Library

Juvenile

Photo © Marlene Kraml / Macaulay Library

Adult male

Photo © Ceredig Roberts / Macaulay Library

Adult male

Photo © Andrew Spencer / Macaulay Library

Adult male

Photo © Alex Lamoreaux / Macaulay Library

Adult male

Photo © Glenn Perricone / Macaulay Library

Song

© Wil Hershberger / Macaulay Library

Song

© Brad Walker / Macaulay Library

Song

© Dave Slager / Macaulay Library

Song

© Glen Chapman / Macaulay Library

Song

© Wil Hershberger / Macaulay Library

Song

© Tom Johnson / Macaulay Library

Calls

© Jay McGowan / Macaulay Library

Calls

© Glen Chapman / Macaulay Library

Calls

© Ian Davies / Macaulay Library

Calls

© Jay McGowan / Macaulay Library

Calls

© Brad Walker / Macaulay Library

Calls

© Brad Walker / Macaulay Library

Calls

© Brad Walker / Macaulay Library

Calls

© Jay McGowan / Macaulay Library

Calls

© Jay McGowan / Macaulay Library

Alarm calls

© Jay McGowan / Macaulay Library

Juvenile calls

© Brad Walker / Macaulay Library

Song (San Lucas)

© Nick Roth / Macaulay Library

When To Look

Source: Birds of the World

Where To Find It

Source: Birds of the World

Habitats

forest

open woodland

shrub

town

Substrates

ground

Live Tree Branch

Vine or Tangle

In/On Building

What You'll Find

Nest Type

cup

Chick

Altricial

Clutch Size

3
5

Nest Height

25 ft
10 ft

Nesting Statistics

Incubation Period

12-14
days

Brooding Period

13
days

Useful Hints

  • The robin’s nest is an open cup of grass and twigs held together with a thick layer of mud and lined with fine dry grass.
  • Females build the nest from the inside, pressing dead grass and twigs around them into a cup shape using the wrist of one wing.
  • Because the robin forages largely on lawns, it is vulnerable to pesticide poisoning and can be an indicator of chemical pollution.

More Resources

Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Cornell Lab of Ornithology