Managed to get some good mug shots of my 2 Robins today. Can anyone tell me wether they are Male or Female, apart from one of them having a stumpy tail I can't see amy other difference.
If you see both birds together the female will probably be slightly larger than the male. Females require more body weight for producing eggs. In the coming weeks you might see behaviour clues. The female will beg for food from the male.These two eventually nested in my shed and raised four chicks. he continued to bring her food whilst she incubated the eggs.
Female left , male right.
My gallery here
Like everyone else I have theories and opinions on lots of things I know b*gger all about.
As far as I know, Maria, they are virtually indistinguishable from their plumage. No doubt an experienced ringer with the bird in hand could tell their gender. Others may know better than me.
You may find this data sheet from The Birds of Aragon of some interest. You will see they only refer to adults and no gender is shown.
www.ibercajalav.net/.../327_RobinErubecula.pdf
Regards TJ
My Flickr photostream
A bird does not sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song. (Chinese proverb)
Lovely photos Galatas, I'll have to wait a few more weeks then. It is going to be very interestig times...I've seen 5 Robins in total in 3 gardens. I remember last year you were putting Mealworms out for your Robins, did you get many fledge?
Four out of five eggs hatched , all four fledged successfully.
Thanks TJ, that makes it as clear as mud :-) as I have just said to Galatas, I'll wait a couple of weeks and watch their behaviour.
Fingers crossed for this year then. I started putting soaked Mealworms out for the 7 Starlings I had, twice a day I would fill the dish up and down they would come, fill their beaks and fly off to feed their babies and then OMG, the babies came to feed themselves...I must have had about 50 of them. It cost me a fortune!
Was one of them already resident in your garden? If so, the chances are that the newcomer is a female and the incumbent a male. Also, you would have heard him singing loudly during the last week of December to attract his potential mate. Fortunately you have 'Stumpy' and can tell which is which. Was 'Stumpy' already there or is he/she the new robin? As the others have said; their behaviour over the next few weeks will be a giveaway. They should start collecting dry leaves for the base of the nest soon, followed by moss and hair etc. This might help if you add it to what the others have said.
Said Mother Tern to Baby Tern "Would you like a brother?"
Said Baby Tern to Mother Tern "Yes, one good tern deserves another"
Spike Milligan
You have certainly been paying attention to your pair, unfortunatley I have to go to work so I don't get much time to watch their behaviour during the week...next weekend though. Thanks for all the info though.
It didn't take me too much attention. BR has been with me since April/May, so I know him immediately, just from where he is perched in some instances. Keep watching and I'm sure you'll work out who is who before long. Of course if you happen to catch them mating then you'll have no doubt!
Not sure it is as obvious as Galatas says,some of my ringing friends reckon it is not easy when they have them in the hand.
Pete
Birding is for everyone no matter how good or bad we are at it,enjoy it while you can
SeamanNot sure it is as obvious as Galatas says,...............................
GalatasIf you see both birds together the female will probably be slightly larger than the male. Females require more body weight for producing eggs. In the coming weeks you might see behaviour clues. The female will beg for food from the male....................
Where do I say it is obvious ?
Galatas SeamanNot sure it is as obvious as Galatas says,............................... GalatasIf you see both birds together the female will probably be slightly larger than the male. Females require more body weight for producing eggs. In the coming weeks you might see behaviour clues. The female will beg for food from the male.................... Where do I say it is obvious ?
See... You did say IT IS OBVIOUS lol
I want to put my robin nestbox in the shed. To try and get away from the cats round here. How do yours get into the shed Galatas?
I can't say I've heard, or read, that female robins are larger than males. I've certainly not noticed it over the years. The only thing I've read more than once is that males tend to have a brown u shape on the forehead, and females v shape. Can't say I've noticed that either!