Robins

[Prudie]

I have a robin that seems to be in my garden all year and is tame enough to take food from the windowsill. At certain times of the year it has a mate with it that is not so brave. What i want to know is whether the robin that stays all the time is more likely to be the male or female?

[Mr Veritas]

Male robins have a very large territory,and will allow females in at any time,but will kill another male that tresspasses!
So the answer to your question is,the robin that stays all the time is certain to be male.

[Prudie]

Thanks Mr V I thought that would probably be the case. It's quite sweet to watch actually because he will come and get the food, those fruity suet things, and fly to her and feed her as if she was a fledgling.

[padanarm]

I remember being told that British robins are sedentary (stay all year round) whereas 'continental' robins visit during the winter. Continental robins are more more wary of humans.

[boxtops]

Am I right that it is only the male that has the traditional red-breast?

[padanarm]

Nope boxtops. Not unless you've seen any robin not-redbreasts.

[Stargazer]

I have robins all year round, often see two of them so must be one of each sex. They love it when I am digging in the soil as they wait nearby and quickly come and have a look for worms if I move away.

[boxtops]

Thanks padanarm - we only see red-breasts here (when we see them at all, we have three cats so all the birds are very wary) but I'd always thought they were the males. Other bird breeds have differences M/F eg lady blackbird is brown, so I have learned something tonight, I will no longer say "hallo Mr Robin" if one settles on our fence!

[Milvus]

Padanarm is right, male and female robins are the same, but juveniles have a golden brown flecked chest, not red