🐦

European Robin

Erithacus rubecula

Least Concern

Length

14.0 cm

Wingspan

21.0 cm

Weight

18.0 g

Family

Muscicapidae

Order

Passeriformes

Often following gardeners and grazing animals to seize invertebrates turned up from the soil, the European Robin is remarkably tame around people, especially in Britain. Olive-brown above, it has a warm orange-red breast and face bordered with grey and a white belly. It occupies woodlands, hedgerows, parks, and gardens across Europe, western Asia, and parts of North Africa; northern birds migrate south in winter while western European populations largely remain. Its diet combines insects, worms, and berries. Cup nests hold four to seven eggs, incubated for 12 to 21 days, with young fledging between 10 and 18 days. Both sexes sing year-round, a thin, melancholic warble of whistled phrases rising and falling softly, punctuated by a sharp ticking alarm. The species is classified as Least Concern.

About

The European robin is one of the most beloved birds in Britain, where it is the unofficial national bird. Despite its friendly demeanor toward humans, robins are fiercely territorial against their own kind, singing year-round to defend territory. Their distinctive song is one of the first to be heard at dawn.

Physical Description

Measurement	Value	Imperial
Body Length	14.0 cm	5.5 in
Wingspan	21.0 cm	8.3 in
Weight	18.0 g	0.63 oz

Identification

Plumage

Olive-brown upperparts with a warm orange-red breast and face bordered by grey. White belly and undertail coverts.

Bill

Thin, pointed dark brown bill

Habitat & Range

Woodlands, hedgerows, parks, and gardens across Europe. Remarkably tame around humans, especially in Britain.

🌲 Forest

Geographic Range

Europe, western Asia, and parts of North Africa. Northern populations migrate south in winter; western European populations are largely resident.

Diet & Feeding

Insects, worms, and berries. Often follows gardeners and large animals to catch invertebrates disturbed from the soil.

Conservation Status

Least Concern

IUCN Red List

Behavior & Breeding

Nesting

Nest type: CP. Incubation: 12-21 days. Fledging: 10-18 days.

Clutch Size

4-7

Sound

Song

Exquisite, melancholic melody of thin whistled phrases, rising and falling softly. Rich, warbling song year-round; both sexes sing. Alarm call is a sharp 'tic-tic-tic'.

Taxonomy

Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Chordata
Class	Aves
Order	Passeriformes (Songbirds)
Family	Muscicapidae (Old World Flycatchers)
Genus	Erithacus
Species	Erithacus rubecula

Names in Other Languages

Language	Name
German	Rotkehlchen
Spanish	Petirrojo Europeo

Distribution

European Robin has been recorded in 6 countries.

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Present Not recorded

countries highlighted

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇵🇹 Portugal 🇷🇺 Russia 🇸🇪 Sweden

External Databases

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the European Robin eat?

Insects, worms, and berries. Often follows gardeners and large animals to catch invertebrates disturbed from the soil.

Where does the European Robin live?

Woodlands, hedgerows, parks, and gardens across Europe. Remarkably tame around humans, especially in Britain.

Is the European Robin endangered?

The European Robin has a conservation status of Least Concern.

How does the European Robin nest?

Nest type: CP. Incubation: 12-21 days. Fledging: 10-18 days.

What does the European Robin sound like?

Exquisite, melancholic melody of thin whistled phrases, rising and falling softly. Rich, warbling song year-round; both sexes sing. Alarm call is a sharp 'tic-tic-tic'.

How big is the European Robin?

The European Robin has a body length of 14.0 cm, wingspan of 21.0 cm, weight of 18.0 g.

What order and family does the European Robin belong to?

The European Robin (Erithacus rubecula) belongs to the order Passeriformes and the family Muscicapidae.