We have a large rural-style mailbox in our backyard which we once used
for storing small garden tools. An enterprising pair of robins have
turned it into a birdie nursery, and it is amazing how rapidly the
eggs turn into hatchlings, the hatchlings into fledglings, and the
fledglings into mature, flight-ready birds. Robins are incredibly
diligent, devoted parents, and wow, are they busy!
I found an excellent short article that should answer your questions
about the timing of the robin parenting experience. Here's an excerpt:
"The breeding season is from early April to as late as September.
Either or both birds may choose the nest site. Although robins prefer
to nest in spruce and maple trees, they readily adapt to a wide range
of vegetation and built structures. They will even nest on the ground.
Robins also reuse nests from the previous year, either their own or
those of other species such as the Eastern Phoebe, the Catbird, the
Common Grackle, and the Baltimore Oriole. Sometimes they build a new
nest on top of the old one, which may have yet another nest under it,
and lay the eggs in the new nest at the top. The female makes the
cup-shaped nest of mud mixed with grasses or small twigs and
frequently with string, scraps of cloth and small bits of paper. She
works mud into place with her feet and bill, moulds it with her body
and lines the nest with fine grass. She takes from two to six days to
build the nest, making an average of 180 trips a day, with mud or
grass, during the peak building period. If the weather is bad, she may
delay occupying the nest for as many as 20 days. The nest measures
75-165 mm on the outside and 65-100 mm on the inside, weighs about 240
g, and is usually placed about 3 m above ground, although this height
varies greatly.
In southern Canada, the first clutch is laid in late April or early
May. This is commonly followed by a second clutch and, when conditions
are favourable, a third clutch is not unusual. Nests may still contain
eggs in early August. A clutch of three or four eggs is common, of two
or five not unusual, of six rare. Seven or eight eggs are exceptional
and are likely to be the work of two females. The eggs are the
familiar robin's-egg blue, though white ones, rarely brown spotted, do
occur. Incubation usually takes 12 days but may take 11-14 days. The
female generally begins sitting after the last egg is laid. The male
frequently stands guard when he is not in the feeding area and may
occasionally sit on the eggs. The nestling period is from 13 to 16
days, so the next clutch may be started about 40 days after the first
egg of the year."
Science Net: Life Sciences - Animal Behaviour/Zoology
http://www.science.edu.sg/ssc/detailed.jsp?artid=1149&type=6&root=4&parent=4&cat=35
My Google search strategy:
Google Web Search: robin OR robins "breeding season"
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=robin+OR+robins+%22breeding+season%22
I hope this is helpful. If anything is unclear, please request
clarification, and I'll gladly offer further assistance.
Best regards,
pinkfreud |
