European robin
| European robin | |
|---|---|
| Song recorded in Gran Canaria | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Muscicapidae |
| Genus: | Erithacus |
| Species: | E. rubecula
|
| Binomial name | |
| Erithacus rubecula | |
| Subspecies | |
|
7–10, see text. | |
| Range of E rubecula Breeding Resident Non-breeding Introduced and probably extinct
| |
| Synonyms | |
| |
The European robin (Erithacus rubecula), known simply as the robin or robin redbreast in Britain and Ireland, is a small insectivorous passerine bird belonging to the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae. It is found across Europe, as far east as Western Siberia, and as far south as North Africa. It is sedentary in the west and south of its range, and migratory in the north and east of its range where winters are harsher.
It is 12.5–14.0 cm (4.9–5.5 in) in length. The male and female are identical in plumage, with an orange-toned red breast and face lined with grey, brown upper-parts and a whitish belly. Juveniles are distinct, being freckled brown all over and lacking the red breast. First-winter immatures resemble the adults, except they have more obvious yellow-brown tips to the wing covert feathers, which are inconspicuous or absent in adults.