Learning to tell the gender of robins can be quite tricky, but differences in appearance and behavior can help you. Once you understand what to observe, you can easily recognize the male from the female.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: American Robin
Step 1. Look at the plumage
The male's chest is of an intense rusty red, the opposite of that of the female which is lighter, with more reddish-orange shades.
- The feathers of the wings and the tail are also different; those of the male tend to be very dark black while the female generally has a more charcoal-like plumage.
- Furthermore, in the little birds there is less contrast between the feathers of the head and the back (which generally appear in a grayish-black color) compared to the males.
Step 2. Identify which bird builds the nest
It is above all the female who takes care of this task; the male engages only occasionally. If you see a robin trying its hand at nest building, it is more likely a female.
Step 3. Observe behavior with chicks
The male takes care of them during the nights of their first year, while the females dedicate this time to brood the second brood, but return during the day to feed and care for the birds.
Step 4. Pay attention to mating behavior
Males chase females and may engage in fights with other specimens to keep them out of their nesting space. Additionally, they often sing to attract females, although they are both capable of vocalizing.
Method 2 of 3: Australian Robin (Scarlet)
Step 1. Look for color differences
The differences in plumage between the two sexes are much more marked than in European or American robins. The male is black with a bright red chest and a white spot above the beak (frontal spot). The females, on the other hand, are brown, with the chest more tending to a rusty orange-red and the white underside.
Step 2. Pay attention to behavior in the nest
The females sit on the eggs to hatch them; the males, on the other hand, provide food to their mate. This division of duties allows the eggs to always be kept warm and safe until they begin to hatch.
Step 3. Examine how the nest develops and stabilizes
The female builds the one for the couple using moss, cobwebs and animal fibers; the male prevents other birds from approaching the area by vocalizing and observing from a nearby branch.
Method 3 of 3: European Robin
Step 1. Follow the migration patterns
During the summer, the female moves to a nest in the adjacent nesting territory, while the male stays in his for the whole year.
Step 2. Pay attention to the mating behavior
The male brings food to the female - seeds, worms or berries - to strengthen the bond between them; the female sings loudly and flaps her wings to communicate that she appreciates the gift.
Step 3. Make a note of the behavior with the chicks
Once the female has laid her eggs, she stays in the nest for two weeks, during which time the male brings food to her and the chicks.
If you see two robins in a nest with the young and one flies away for food, it is very likely that the female is left
Step 4. Examine the chest
It is very difficult to recognize the two sexes by observing only the plumage; however, there are some small differences that you may notice in older specimens.
- During the second year of life, the gray tuft around the male's red breast continues to widen and the chest tends to be larger than that of the female.
- Although the tuft around the female's chest does not increase much with aging, the chest actually continues to develop over the years.
- Keep in mind that age is an important factor when you want to use breast characteristics to define the sex of this robin.
Warnings
- Do not disturb the robins' nest or eggs, they are very territorial animals.
- There are some varieties among the robin families and subspecies. For example, although most of the characteristics described so far concerning the scarlet robin generally refer to what is called "red robin" throughout Australasia, there are actually 45 distinct species across the continent. Make sure you know which one you are looking at before trying to identify its gender.
