Female American Robins (Identification Guide: Male vs Female)

The American robin is one of the most widespread birds in the United States, and one of the most misidentified.

Males have a distinctive bright orange-red breast, making them instantly recognizable. Female American robins are also easily identifiable, and while they also have characteristic orange breast feathers, the overall appearance is softer and faded, with some describing their plumage as “faded” compared to the more vigorous males.

Despite the stark difference in plumage brightness, male and female American robins do share many similarities: both males and females are highly territorial and protective of their young, and both are known for being friendly and adept with humans , and they can all be found regularly feeding on lawns and backyard flower beds with earthworms and beetles.

Read on to learn more about female American robins, their appearance, behavior, and the roles and responsibilities of raising young.

Close up of a female American Robin

How do you know if the American robin is male or female?

Male and female American robins are easy to tell apart when standing side by side. The plumage of the male is more colorful, with a brighter, orange-red breast, and a darker black back and wing feathers. Female robins are duller in appearance and more subdued in color; their breast plumage is light orange, and their wings and back are more charcoal than black.

The American robin is the largest member of the thrush family native to the United States. Males and females are similar in size, but males are also usually slightly larger than females. However, spawning females may be larger than males before laying eggs.

American Robin

Male American Robin

What does an American female robin look like?

Although female American robins are noticeably duller in color than males, they do have orange-red breasts that instantly identify the species. The female robin has lighter white plumage on the breast and throat, rather than the bold, rusty red of the male.

The back and wing feathers of the female American robin are brownish-gray in contrast to the dark black of the male.

Female robins have dark brown irises surrounded by a ring of pale feathers. They have light brown legs and feet. Their beaks are pale yellow and often end with a slight black tip.

On average, an adult female American robin weighs 59 to 94 grams (2.1 to 3.3 ounces), has a body length of 23 to 28 centimeters (10 to 11 inches), and a wingspan of 30 to 40 centimeters (12 to 16 inches). )exist). Females are usually smaller in size and weight than males.

A female American Robin forages on the ground

Are American female robin breasts red?

Female American robins do have reddish breasts, but they are a darker shade compared to the bright orange-red associated with males of the species.

behavioral difference

Although known as friendly, cheerful garden companions, both male and female American robins can be extremely aggressive towards other birds or potential threats.

Male American robins are highly territorial and will fiercely defend their territory against intrusion from competing males. Females are especially defensive and protective of their young and nest.

Female American robin perched on a juniper tree

sing and call

Male American robins are very vocal birds, a trait that is certainly shared by the females of the species. Both females and females respond to the presence of predators by emitting high-pitched, menacing sirens. Hatchling females also make aggressive “clicks” if they sense that their nest is in danger.

However, the next time you hear the familiar early-morning “cheerfully cheery” song, usually associated with the American robin, if you look closely, you’ll see that the singer is a male bird, as females don’t sing this particular tune .

nesting

Female American robins play a dominant role in selecting nesting sites and subsequent nesting, with males occasionally assisting in gathering nesting material. Females tend to work alone to make the nest.

The distinctive “robin egg blue” color of American robin eggs comes from a substance called biliverdin, which is produced by the breakdown of hemoglobin in the blood of female robins.

After laying eggs, it’s the female’s job to hatch the nest, but once the chicks hatch, both parents will share the heavy lifting of feeding duties.

The male robin takes care of the chicks for the first three weeks after eclosion, when the female is usually busy hatching the next clutch.

A female American robin incubates an egg in a nest

feed

American robins can perform courtship feeding displays, in which male robins offer food to attract potential mates. Female robins eat the same diet as males, consisting of earthworms, insects, and berries.

Both males and females are active foragers. Mating pairs tend to divide a territory roughly in half, each sticking to their particular side when feeding.

to perch

Male American robins are known for congregating overnight in huge communal roosts, where hundreds of birds perch in the treetops.

During the nesting season, males join these roosts alone, followed by young birds. However, outside of nesting season, female American robins also join these roosts, further increasing numbers.

American Robin girl standing on the grass

Can female American robins raise offspring alone?

Although the female American robin does incubate the eggs without the involvement of the male, once the chicks hatch, the male plays an integral role in raising the young. While the hatchlings are in the nest, the male and female take turns feeding them, making up to 150 nest feedings per day. Both parents fiercely protect the nest from unwanted attention from predators.

After fledgling American robins leave the nest for the first time, it is the males, not the females, who support their offspring, protecting them for the first three weeks of their lives. At this point, the female is likely to have already begun hatching the next clutch.

Young American female Robin perched on a branch

Are female American robins bigger than males?

Male robins are usually a few centimeters larger than females and weigh a few grams. One exception is females who are about to spawn; females who lay eggs may temporarily be larger than males.

What is the female American robin’s name?

Female American robins are called hens. Male robins are called roosters.