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Nashville Warbler Neotropic Cormorant Northern Bobwhite Northern Cardinal Northern Flicker Northern Fulmar Northern Gannet Northern Goshawk Northern Harrier Northern Hawk Owl Northern Mockingbird Northern Parula Northern Pintail Northern Rough-winged Swallow Northern Saw-whet Owl Northern Shoveler Northern Shrike Northern Waterthrush Northwestern Crow Nuttall’s Woodpecker Oak Titmouse Olive-sided Flycatcher Orange-crowned Warbler Orchard Oriole Osprey Ovenbird Pacific Golden-Plover Pacific Loon Pacific-slope Flycatcher Painted Bunting Painted Redstart Palm Warbler Pectoral Sandpiper Pelagic Cormorant Peregrine Falcon Phainopepla Philadelphia Vireo Pied-billed Grebe Pigeon Guillemot Pileated Woodpecker Pine Grosbeak Pine Siskin Pine Warbler Pinyon Jay Piping Plover Plain Chachalaca Plumbeous Vireo Prairie Falcon Prairie Warbler Prothonotary Warbler Purple Finch Purple Gallinule Purple Martin Purple Sandpiper Pygmy Nuthatch Pyrrhuloxia Razorbill Red Crossbill Red Knot Red Phalarope 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Grouse Short-billed Dowitcher Short-eared Owl Slate-throated Redstart Smith’s Longspur Smooth-billed Ani Snail Kite Snow Bunting Snow Goose Snowy Egret Snowy Plover Solitary Sandpiper Song Sparrow Sooty Grouse Sora Spotted Owl Spotted Sandpiper Spotted Towhee Sprague’s Pipit Spruce Grouse Steller’s Jay Stilt Sandpiper Summer Tanager Surf Scoter Surfbird Swainson’s Hawk Swainson’s Thrush Swainson’s Warbler Swallow-tailed Kite Swamp Sparrow Tennessee Warbler Thick-billed Murre Townsend’s Solitaire Townsend’s Warbler Tree Swallow Tricolored Heron Tropical Kingbird Trumpeter Swan Tufted Puffin Tufted Titmouse Tundra Swan Turkey Vulture Upland Sandpiper Varied Bunting Varied Thrush Vaux’s Swift Veery Verdin Vermilion Flycatcher Vesper Sparrow Violet-green Swallow Virginia Rail Virginia’s Warbler Warbling Vireo Western Bluebird Western Grebe Western Gull Western Kingbird Western Sandpiper Western Screech-Owl Western Tanager Western Wood-Pewee Western-Meadowlark Whimbrel White Ibis 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Female Robin vs Male – Comparison

Female Robin

Robins are a common sight in many parts of the world, with their distinctive red breast and sweet melodic song making them a favorite amongst birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts. While many people are familiar with these feathered friends, there is much that remains unknown about their behavior and biology.

But are female robins identifiable? What are their lives like?

Let’s take a closer look at female robins and their role as mothers and partners.

 

Female vs Male Robin

American Robins have dark heads, warm orange underparts, and are gray-brown overall. A white patch under the tail and lower belly are easily visible in flight. These birds are 7.9 to 11.0 inches (20 to 28 centimeters) long and weigh 2.7 to 3.0 ounces (77 to 85 grams).

Female American Robins look very similar to breeding male robins. They have warm orange underparts and are gray-brown overall. A white patch under the tail and lower belly is easily visible in flight. However, females have paler heads. Their lighter heads contrast less with the gray back. They’re the same size and length and are the same weight.

There can be some noticeable differences between male and female robins. However, it’s important to note that American Robins can have individual plumage making it hard to tell if a bird is male or female.

Female American Robin

© Tom Grey

 

Duller Plumage

Female robins are duller than male robins. Males are known for their vibrant coloration, including the bright white eyering, vibrant yellow bill, white-collar decorations, and black-colored head. Compared to the characteristics listed previously, female robins appear to look faded or dull.

The rusty red breast is the best way to differentiate these two birds. Males will have a breast that is deeper than female robins. Female Robin breasts are paler and can look reddish-orange.

Additionally, male robins often have darker black tail feathers and wings, while female robins usually have charcoal-gray plumage. Females also have less contrast between their back feathers and head. Females are often duller than males because females must be better concealed to avoid predators and keep their eggs safe.

 

Female Robins Are Slightly Smaller

Female robins are slightly smaller than male robins. On average, female robins weigh 2.6 grams. However, it’s important to remember that even though male robins are usually larger, some females will become larger than specific males.

This is because some female robins can grow in size before they lay their eggs.

Baby American robins

© Alan D. Wilson

 

Territorial Behavior

American Robins are commonly associated with spring. Making them popular and innocent-looking birds. However, these birds can be pretty aggressive. Males are always eager to participate in combat and have even been known to kill their rivals.

Female robins will fiercely guard their offspring as well. Due to their very territorial nature, females will only wander into a male’s territory if it’s mating season.

Additionally, if you see two robins together, it’s most likely a female and a male.

 

How to Tell a Younger Robin’s Gender?

It’s difficult to identify young robins by gender when they are still in the nest. Juvenile American Robins have pale heads, pale breast feathers, and mottled brown markings.

The distinctive warm orange breasts and bellies will show through at this age.

Juvenile American Robins

© Alan D. Wilson

 

Lifecycle

American Robins have an average lifespan of 5 to 6 years. However, many of these birds die within their first year of life. The good news is, though, American Robins that make it past that point usually live for several years because they’ve learned the critical life skills needed to survive.

The oldest recorded American Robin lived to be at least 13 years and 11 months old. Robins that live in captivity have lived to be older than 17 years old.

Robins are not a species of bird that mates for life. A mated pair will stay together for the breeding season but don’t always stay with the same mate. However, there have been cases of a female and male who mated previously mating again after returning to the same territory.

It takes around 12 to 14 days after that last egg has been laid for American Robins to hatch. Female robins will lay 1 egg every day until the whole clutch is laid.

The clutch size is 5 to 6 eggs. Hatchlings will fledge the nest when they’re around 13 days old and become independent birds 10 to 15 days after fledging.

They’ll stay with their parents for 2 to 3 weeks after fledging, and the father will continue to feed them. The mother starts incubating a new brood of eggs at this time.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you tell a male robin from a female?

Female robins are duller than male robins. Males are known for their vibrant coloration, including the bright white eyering, vibrant yellow bill, white-collar decorations, and black-colored head. Compared to the characteristics listed previously, Female robins appear to look faded or dull. The rusty red breast is the best way to differentiate these two birds. Males will have a breast that is deeper than female robins. Female Robin breasts are paler and can look reddish-orange.Additionally, male robins often have darker black tail feathers and wings, while female robins usually have charcoal-gray plumage. Females also have less contrast between their back feathers and head. Female birds are often duller than males because females must be better concealed to avoid predators and keep their eggs safe.

Additionally, female robins are slightly smaller than male robins. On average, female robins weigh 2.6 grams. It’s important to remember that even though male robins are usually larger, some females will become larger than specific males. This is because some female robins can grow in size while pregnant. However, you can still identify a pregnant female from a male because while her mass may increase, her tail and wings will still be smaller.

What color is a female robin?

Female American Robins have warm orange underparts and are gray-brown overall. A white patch under the tail and lower belly is easily visible in flight. However, females have paler heads. Their lighter heads contrast less with the gray back. They’re the same size and length and are the same weight.

Do female robins have eyerings?

Yes, female robins do have eyerings.

Why do you never see 2 robins together?

You never see 2 American Robins together because they’re very territorial birds. Female robins will only wander into a male’s territory if it’s mating season. This means if you see two American Robins together, it’s most likely a female and a male.

 

Conclusions

Even though male and female robins look similar at first glance, they have many differences in appearance and behavior.

Males are larger and have longer tails and wings, while females are smaller, have shorter tails and wings, have duller coloring, and aren’t as aggressive toward other birds.

However, it is tough to determine the gender of juvenile robins, and in the case of wild robins, the only ethical way to find it out is to observe their behavior.

About the Author

Brianna Goulet

Brianna loves to get outdoors for everything creative and fun. She has a passion for birds and is a hobbyist wildlife photographer based in Central Florida. Her goal is to share everything you need to know about birds so you can get out there, explore, and identify confidently!

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