Photo: Charles J. Sharp / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
European Robin
Erithacus rubecula
European Robin (Erithacus rubecula) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 11 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The European Robin (Erithacus rubecula) is a member of the Muscicapidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 17.7 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Muscicapidae Chats, Old World Flycatchers
- Genus Erithacus
- Species rubecula
Quick facts
- Weight
- 17.7 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Muscicapidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Male vs female
Sexes look alike: both have an orange-red face and breast (bordered by bluish-grey on the sides of the neck and chest), olive-brown upperparts and a whitish belly.
Juvenile appearance
Juveniles are spotted brown and buff and lack the orange breast, which develops gradually over the two to three months after fledging.
Similar birds
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Endangered
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The European Robin is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The European Robin is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The European Robin (Erithacus rubecula) is a member of the Muscicapidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL w, c.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 17.7 g, with a wing length of about 7.2 cm and a tail of around 5.7 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 10 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the European Robin?
The European Robin is a small bird that weighs around 17.7 g.
Where does the European Robin live?
The European Robin is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL w, c, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the European Robin belong to?
The European Robin (Erithacus rubecula) belongs to the Muscicapidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the European Robin eat?
The European Robin is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the European Robin migrate?
The European Robin is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the European Robin endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the European Robin make?
1 real field recording of the European Robin — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the European Robin's range?
The European Robin has a mapped global range of about 10 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
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Meet the Muscicapidae
A field guide to the Muscicapidae family — 355 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.