The UK's favourite bird - with its bright red breast it is familar throughout the year and especially at Christmas! Males and females look identical, and young birds have no red breast and are spotted with golden brown. Robins sing nearly all year round and despite their cute appearance, they are aggressively territorial and are quick to drive away intruders. They will sing at night next to street lights.
Key ID Features:
The soft warm upperparts, buff belly and bright red face and breast are familiar to us all as it is one of the stalwarts of the garden frequenters, often collecting invertebrates from around the gardeners feet, hopping on spindly brown legs.
Juveniles are mottled brown with gradually developing red breast spots.
Overview
Scientific name: Erithacus rubecula
Family: Chats and thrushes (Turdidae)
Where to see them:
Across the UK in woodland, hedgerows, parks and gardens.
Seen in UK:
All year round.
What they eat
Worms, seeds, fruits and insects.
Text (c) RSPB, used with permission
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Photographer: Tim Tapley
