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Male robin v female robin ID?

  • 20-04-2014 3:06am
    #1
    VeeEmmy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 278 ✭✭


    Does anyone know if any definitive studies have been made that bear out the theory that a way to differentiate a male robin from a female is that the male's brown crown comes to the forehead in a "U" shape, and the female's comes forward in a "V" shape?

    "My" current robin pair do reflect that pattern.


Comments

  • #2
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    No that is not true at all. There are no plumage clues to the sex of a robin. Studies show that males are slightly heavier but during the breeding season females can be heavier prior to egg laying. As we can't usually wiegh our garden robins to see which is a gram or two heavier, this is of little use.
    Behaviour traits are the usual way of identifying male from female robins.


  • #3
    swifts need our help!
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 944 ✭✭✭swifts need our help!


    A useful site if you can read Spanish
    http://www.ibercajalav.net/img/327_Erithacus_rubecula.pdf


  • #4
    swifts need our help!
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 944 ✭✭✭swifts need our help!


    a useful site if you can read Spanish
    http://www.ibercajalav.net/img/327_Erithacus_rubecula.pdf


  • #5
    Kess73
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 25,560 ✭✭✭✭Kess73


    Tinley Tangy Hatchback wrote: »
    No that is not true at all. There are no plumage clues to the sex of a robin. Studies show that males are slightly heavier but during the breeding season females can be heavier prior to egg laying. As we can't usually wiegh our garden robins to see which is a gram or two heavier, this is of little use.
    Behaviour traits are the usual way of identifying male from female robins.



    100% agree, and just to add for the OP that even this method often requires prolonged observation of individual birds as outside of the breeding season you will often see a robin and it does nothing to give itself away in terms of sex.


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