Robin
| Irish Name: | Spideog |
| Scientific name: | Erithacus rubecula |
| Bird Family: | Chats |
green
Conservation status
Conservation status
Status
Resident. Ireland's most widespread garden bird almost every year.
Identification
Probably the most familiar garden bird - the bright orange-red breast and facial area make it unmistakable. Upperparts a uniform greyish brown, belly and lower breast greyish white. The bill is dark and pointed and the legs black. Can appear very plump and rounded, especially in cold weather when the bird fluffs out its feathers. Can be very confiding, often perching motionless close to gardening activity. Occasionally cocks tail briefly.
Voice
Song a wispy, relatively slow series of notes ranging up and down the scale, becoming more rapid in parts - the notes rolling into each other. Somewhat melancholy - winter song even more so. Calls include a "tick" which is sometimes repeated to sound like an old clock being wound up. Also a plaintive, barely audible "seep".
Diet
Insects and some fruits, including apples. Readily comes to bird tables.
Breeding
Over 2 million pairs breed across the Republic of Ireland, in many different habitats. Nest usually well-concealed in a bank, ivy or cavity in tree or wall. Sometimes chooses unusual location such as a hat or garment hanging in garden shed. Will use open-fronted nestboxes.
Wintering
Widespread. Recorded in 99% of Irish gardens each winter.
Widespread and common throughout Ireland.
Resident all year, commonly seen in gardens during winter.
Blog posts about this bird
From early birds to late bloomers: exploring the nesting patterns of birds
Every March 1st, reminders of the annual hedge-cutting ban are disseminated and rolling in behind them are jokes and comments alluding to birds and their strict schedules.
Of course, birds don’t maintain annual calendars like you or I. If they did, things would be much more clear-cut! However, their behaviour including nesting and migration is tied to seasonal shifts. The rising temperatures and longer hours of daylight ushered in by spring prompt the beginning of nesting season for wild birds. The hedge-cutting ban is in place to prevent the destruction or disturbance of their nesting sites.
Blackbird. Photo: Jerry Cassidy.
Springing into nesting season
At present, the cut-off point for hedge-cutting is informed by the best available data. With the subject understudied here in Ireland, much of what we know about nesting is derived from UK data, specifically, the British Trust for Ornithology’s Nest Record Scheme (NRS). Based on the information we have, March 1st is considered an appropriate time to stop hedge-cutting for most nesting birds. However, in reality, it is likely that the nesting season begins much earlier in Ireland than in the UK owing to our milder climate. We also know that some birds nest earlier in the season. Data from the BTO Nest Record Scheme shows that some species such as Blackbird and Robin can nest much earlier than March 1st, with records of both species nesting in January (or even December) becoming annual. As the ongoing climate crisis drives global temperatures up, it is possible that “early nesting” will become the norm, rather than the exception. Indeed, a US study published in the Journal of Animal Ecology showed that one-third of 72 bird species studied are now nesting significantly earlier than they did historically. These species, which include Blue Jays and Field Sparrows, are now laying their eggs on average 25 days earlier than 100 years ago.
Robin. Photo: Brian Burke
Late-nesting birds
While August 31 currently marks the end of the ban on hedge-cutting, that is not to say that all chicks will have fledged by this date. Once again, things are a bit more complicated than that. Initiated in 2017, BirdWatch Ireland’s Late-nesting Bird Project collected information about Yellowhammer and other bird species such as Goldfinch, Greenfinch and Blackbird that may be nesting in hedgerows in August and September. A large pool of recorders in 20 counties were asked to note breeding evidence of hedgerow nesting birds in August and September. In order to avoid disturbance, they were asked to note breeding evidence as opposed to actively searching for nests. Breeding evidence includes a singing male, a bird carrying nest material, an adult carrying a fecal sac or food, agitated behaviour, and more. The results showed that Yellowhammer in particular nests well into August and September. The Yellowhammer is a Red-listed species of Conservation Concern, meaning that it is at the highest level of conservation concern and in danger of extinction. Failure to acknowledge and protect late-nesting species by adhering to the current legislation could lead to the quiet chipping away of what remains of this wonderful species. Yellowhammer were not the only species shown to nest into the autumn months. The next most regularly recorded species during August and September were Goldfinch (19), Greenfinch (16), Woodpigeon (10) and Blackbird (9). Once again, we must not lose sight of the impact of climate change. As temperatures increase, it is possible that more birds will nest late into the year.
Yellowhammer. Photo: Colum Clarke.
Calls for change
In recent weeks, there have been calls to extend the hedge-cutting season to allow for the cutting of hedgerows into March following a period of poor weather that rendered it challenging. BirdWatch Ireland opposes any shortening of the period during which cutting or burning of vegetation is banned in order to protect breeding birds. Ireland’s birds are already in dire straits, with 63% being of serious conservation concern. We cannot afford to be reckless. Once we lose species, it is very difficult to turn back the clock.
Nesting Season 101 – Hedge-cutting and the Law
Birds in Ireland are facing pressures from all sides, with habitat loss and fragmentation, predation, disturbance and climate change just some of the things they have to contend with. Nesting birds and their young are particularly vulnerable and, while it is vital that we don’t interfere with wild birds at this time, there are some things you can do to support birds during nesting season. One of the easiest ways to do so is to abide by existing laws around hedge-cutting and vegetation burning.
Hedge-cutting and vegetation burning ban
Under the Wildlife Act, it is against the law to cut, burn or otherwise destroy vegetation including hedges between March 1st and August 31st. The purpose of this ban is to prevent the disturbance and destruction of nesting sites of many of our wild bird species.Hedge-cutting
Hedges provide important nesting sites for many wild birds – including Robin, Wren, Blackbird, and Dunnock, to name a few – as well as a bounty of food for a variety of other species. They also offer shelter and safe routes for wildlife to travel along, known as wildlife corridors. Hedges offer numerous benefits to humans including food, natural property boundaries, shelter for crops and livestock, noise reduction and visual appeal. As healthy hedges also sequester and store atmospheric carbon, and help to slow water movement and prevent flooding, they are absolutely vital in mitigating the effects of climate change. The annual ban on hedge-cutting applies to private gardens as much as it does to farms and the wider countryside. While some green-fingered folk may argue that, with a steady hand, they can leave a nest unshaken, the sheer act of getting that close to the hedge and nests within it could be enough for the adult birds to abandon it. Without their parents, the eggs and chicks in the nest have virtually no hope of survival. If they don’t succumb to starvation due to lack of food delivery by an adult bird, they are likely to be victims of predation. 63% of regularly occurring Irish birds are of serious conservation concern, with 26% of them now Red-listed species of conservation concern and 37% Amber-listed species of conservation concern. With the decline in bird populations directly linked to the loss and degradation of habitat, it is important that we do all we can to preserve what remains. You can play your part in this by leaving your hedges alone during the nesting season, and by spreading the word to others.
Wren. Photo: Michael Finn.
Vegetation Burning
The Wildlife Act also prohibits the burning of vegetation during the nesting season. This is aimed at protecting our ground-nesting bird species in upland habitats, many of which have seen their populations plummet in recent decades. This includes species such as Curlew, Lapwing, Skylark, Meadow Pipit and Hen Harrier. While burning is not the only cause of the decline of these species, it does pose a significant threat to their breeding success when carried out during the nesting period. But even during the 'open season' for burning, out-of-control fires, can have devastating consequences on habitats sometimes 'melting' peat soils due to the heat and destroying their functions as carbon stores and sinks as well as habitats for wildlife, for years. Illegal fires during the closed period can lead to the destruction of nests and young of these already vulnerable species, as well as the disturbance of breeding adults. Additionally, such burning can damage habitats that are protected in their own right such as Raised Bog and Blanket Bog. In addition to being unique and biodiverse habitats, our bogs serve as carbon sinks, meaning that they play a huge role in mitigating the effects of climate change.
Skylark. Photo: Shay Connolly.
Reporting illegal cutting and burning
Despite the ban on hedge-cutting between March 1st and August 31st, it is possible that you will come across cutting and burning during this period. Indeed, the Wildlife Act does have exemptions which allow hedge-cutting during the closed period, for example, should there be road safety concerns. In saying this, regardless of who is involved, don’t assume that those cutting the hedge have received the green light to do so. It may well be that they are breaking the law. If you witness hedge-cutting or burning in any place or at any time during this period, please report it to the local Gardaí and the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS). You can read the NPWS guidance on reporting Wildlife Crime here and find contact details for your local NPWS Wildlife Ranger here.Enforcement of the Wildlife Act
Efforts to tackle wildlife crime in Ireland have been strengthened in recent times. Forty-three prosecution cases were initiated by NPWS in 2023 for alleged breaches of wildlife legislation, a 39% increase since 2022. Wildlife crimes reported range from the disturbance of bats, illegal hunting, damage to Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), destruction of hedgerows and burning of vegetation within the restricted period, and more. This increase in action against wildlife crime is very much welcomed by us at BirdWatch Ireland. However, there is still work to be done. It is widely known that our wildlife legislation is not as strongly enforced as it could be, and that the initiation of cases and rates of conviction are higher in some locations than others. There are a number of reasons for this including a general lack of training and resources in the area of wildlife crime in both the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) and An Garda Siochána, and difficulty in gathering sufficient evidence on certain forms of wildlife crime. With this in mind, if you witness any other form of wildlife crime, or simply are worried about the situation for wildlife in this country, we would encourage you to also contact your local and national elected representatives to voice your concerns.
Hen Harrier. Photo: Mike Brown.
