Learning to tell the difference between a male and a female robin can be quite difficult. However, the appearance and behavior of these animals will help you distinguish between the sexes of the robin. Once you know what to look for, male and female robins should be easy to do.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Distinguishing Male and Female American Robins
Step 1. Study the robin's feathers
The chest of the male robin has a rust-red color, which is older than that of the female robin. The female robin's chest is lighter in color, and tends to orange-red.
- The color of the feathers of the wings and tail of birds is also different. Male robins tend to have darker black wing and tail feathers, while female robins usually have charcoal-colored plumage.
- The contrast between the head and back feathers of the female robin (usually gray and black) is not as great as that of the male robin.
Step 2. Find the bird that builds the nest
The robin's nest is built by the female, while the male robin only helps occasionally. If you can see a robin building its nest, it's most likely a female.
Step 3. Observe the nesting behavior
The male robin will babysit the young at night during the first year. The female robin uses this time to incubate the second eggs but returns during the day to feed and care for her newly hatched chicks.
Step 4. Watch the breeding behavior
The male robin chases the female and can fight with other males to drive her out of the nest. Males often sing to attract females, although both male and female robins are capable of singing.
Method 2 of 3: Distinguishing Between Male and Female Australian (Scarlet) Robins
Step 1. Look for color differences
Male and female scarlet robins have significantly different coats than European and American robins. The fur of the male robin is black with a bright red chest and some white above the beak (front). On the other hand, the female robin has brown fur with a reddish-orange chest and white underside.
Step 2. Watch for nesting behavior
The female robin sits on the egg to incubate it. Meanwhile, the male robin feeds his partner. This division of roles ensures the eggs are kept warm and safe until they are ready to hatch.
Step 3. Notice how the nest is built
The female Scarlet robin builds its nest with moss, cobwebs, and animal fiber. The male robin protects his nest from other birds by chirping from a nearby branch.
Method 3 of 3: Distinguishing Male and Female European Robins
Step 1. Follow the migration pattern
The female robin will move to the opposite nesting site during the summer. In contrast, the male robin stays in the same area throughout the year.
Step 2. Watch the breeding behavior
Male robins bring food to the females, including seeds, worms, and berries, to strengthen their relationship. The female robin will sing incessantly and flap her wings to indicate that she wants a gift from the male.
Step 3. Observe the nesting behavior
After the female robin lays her eggs, she will remain in the nest for up to two weeks. During this time, the male robin will bring food to his mate and cubs.
If you see two robins in the nest with their chicks, and one of the birds flies off to find food, it means that the bird living in the nest is a female
Step 4. Examine the robin's chest
It is difficult to tell a male and female robin by their fur. However, there are some subtle differences in the old robin's chest.
- In the male robin's second year of life, the gray band around the red chest continues to expand. The male robin's chest itself tends to be wider than the female's.
- Although the fringes around the female robin's chest do not expand much with age, the red area on the female robin's chest continues to grow with age.
- Recognizing a robin's age is important when determining the sex of a European robin using its chest features.
Warning
- Do not disturb the robin's nest or eggs. This bird is very territorial.
- The robin has a wide variety of families and subspecies. For example, while most of the steps in distinguishing red robins above generally apply to all "red robins" in Australasia, 45 unique robin species live throughout the continent. Be sure to identify the species being studied before trying to determine the sex of each bird.
