Robin (Erithacus rubecula)
Robins are the UK's national bird, made so after being voted most popular bird by public ballot in the 1960s. They are notoriously aggressive towards each other. Both males and females are territorial and will even attack a bundle of red feathers or their own reflection, mistaking it for another individual.
What do they sound like?
Watch video clips from past programmes (1 clip)
In order to watch this content you need to have an up-to-date version of Flash installed and Javascript turned on.
City robins night chorus
The Nature of Britain
City robins sing their hearts out - even in the middle of a cold, winter night.
City robins sing their hearts out - even in the middle of a cold, winter night.
Featured in the following TV programmes
-
Archived
The Nature of Britain: Urban Britain
Alan Titchmarsh hits the city streets to find out what makes them a haven for wildlife.
Featured in the following Radio programmes
-
Archived
The Garden: Episode 1
Evocative series telling the story of an Oxfordshire garden through time and the seasons.
-
Archived
The Garden: Episode 4
Autumn arrives, and with it flocks of redwings and fieldfares. Narrated by Peter France.
About the Robin
The European Robin (Erithacus rubecula), most commonly known in Anglophone Europe simply as the Robin, is a small insectivorous passerine bird that was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family (Turdidae), but is now considered to be an Old World flycatcher (Muscicapidae). Around 12.5–14.0 cm (5.0–5.5 in) in length, the male and female are similar in colouration, with an orange breast and face lined with grey, brown upperparts and a whitish belly. It is found across Europe, east to Western Siberia and south to North Africa; it is sedentary in most of its range except the far north.
The term Robin is also applied to some unrelated birds with red or orange breasts. These include the American Robin (Turdus migratorius), which is a thrush, and the Australian red robins of the genus Petroica, which are more closely related to crows.
This entry is from Wikipedia, the user-contributed encyclopedia. If you find the content in the 'About' section factually incorrect, defamatory or highly offensive you can edit this article at Wikipedia. For more information on our use of Wikipedia please read our FAQ.
Scientific Classification
Order: Passerine (Passeriformes)
Family: Muscicapidae
Genus: Erithacus
Species: European Robin (rubecula)
Common Names
European robin
The Robin is
Adaptation data provided by Animal Diversity Web
Where can I see them?
They can be found in the following habitats:
Conservation Status
The Robin is Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
- EX - Extinct
- EW
- CR - Threatened
- EN - Threatened
- VU - Threatened
- NT
- LC - Least concern
Year assessed: 2009
Elsewhere on the web
- Animal Diversity Web (animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu)
- ARKive: Images of Life on Earth (arkive.org)
- Bird Guides: fact file and sightings (birdguides.com)
- Natural England: fact file (plantpress.com)
- RSPB: fact file (rspb.org.uk)
- European Robin (wikipedia.org)
Site links
BBC links
© MMX
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so.