Zaryanka (Malinovka) – photo and description of a migratory bird, how it sings, video, what it eats

Robin or Robin is a common bird species in Europe that often flies into orchards. The bird lives alone outside the breeding season, in winter it moves to people’s homes, begs for bread crumbs at the door. Robin consumes insects, worms, fruits, seeds. Sings at dawn, as soon as spring begins, the melodic song enchants, even if it wakes up early in the morning!

This species stays for the winter or migrates, depending on the region of residence. In the spring, the robin builds a nest among the vegetation, hiding it in ivy, hedges or dense foliage of a bush. It is a territorial bird that protects the nesting area from other species and even from other robins. The battles are fierce and sometimes end in the death of one soldier.

Physical characteristics of robins:

• body length 14 cm;
• wingspan 20-22 cm;
• weight 15-20 gr.

The species lives in nature for up to 10 years.

Description of the appearance of the robin

This bird is interesting to watch. Females and males are similar. The crown, back of the head and upper body, including the wings and tail, are soft brown in color. Sometimes a not pronounced black stripe is visible on the wing.

The head, throat and chest are bright red-orange, bordered with gray feathers, except for the forehead. The lower part of the body is whitish, the sides are pale reddish brown.

The beak is dark. The eyes are dark brown. Thin legs are pinkish brown.

Young birds are generally brown. The lower part of the body is paler, with variegated beige or pale brown spots. Red-orange feathers will appear only after the first molt, after about two months.

How the robin sings

A typical call is a clear “tick” repeated and pronounced in short series of “tick-tick-tick…” by young and adult birds. Zaryanka also utters a short, quiet or shrill and plaintive call “these” when alarmed or in danger.

The Zaryanka song is a series of phrases, soft, clear sounds and sharp short trills.

The robin sings mainly to attract the female and mark the territory early in the morning, sitting on a pole. Sometimes he sings at night if he is near a street lamp. The robin sings all year round, except in late summer, when it molts. In autumn, the singing is softer, even a little melancholic.

A video recording of the robin’s voice at the bottom of the article.

Where do the robins live

The bird lives in:

• forests;
• landings;
• hedges;
• parks;
• gardens.

The robin is often seen in various types of shrubs in open areas.

Zaryanka lives in Europe and Great Britain. Birds that live in the northern parts of the range migrate south in winter to North Africa, east of Siberia and Iran. The species is also present in the Atlantic islands such as Madeira, the Canary Islands and the Azores. Attempts to relocate the robin to other continents were unsuccessful.

How the robin hunts

The bird often sits in an open area while hunting, looks carefully at the ground to find prey, then jumps down, gathers food among stones or grass.

How to identify a bird in nature

Typical movements make it easy to recognize the robin. It flaps its tail up and down, its slightly convex wings are directed downward, the head is pulled into the shoulders.

When a threat approaches, the bird raises its wings and tail, carefully examines the surroundings before flying away for cover.

They are small, but not peaceful birds.

Robin is aggressive when defending its territory. Disputes with other birds develop into fierce, prolonged battles, the robins peck and scratch each other. Both males look at each other, inflate their breasts, show red-orange feathers. The goal is to pin the enemy to the ground, which means defeat. Some battles sometimes end with the death of one of the participants.

Zaryanka is able to drive a large bird from its territory. She can also attack her own reflection if she sees red feathers. The bird inflates its plumage and lowers its wings when it engages.

How robins prepare for mating season

Robins form pairs in January. Males and females live in the same territory until March, protecting it from the invasion of competitors. The male sings loudly for the chosen one who is building a nest. During this period, he regularly brings mate feeding. But she quickly drives away the breadwinner. Indeed, the female is very nervous when she builds a nest, and the presence of a singing male next to her sometimes forces the robin to change the place where the nest is built.

Flight qualities of robins

The bird flies over short distances, performs wide wave-like movements in the air. Outside the migration period, the robin does not fly much.

Nesting and offspring of robins

A female builds a nest a few meters above the ground, hides well among vegetation, can also nest in a cavity or crevice in a stone wall and in strange places such as a letterbox or a pot buried in the ground!

The female begins construction at the end of March. The base of the nest is made of dry leaves and moss. Inside it is lined with dry herbs and roots, wool and feathers.

Robin usually lays 5 whitish eggs with dark markings. Incubation lasts about 13 days, the female incubates the tab herself. During this period, the mother regularly leaves the nest for feeding, but her partner also brings food for her.

The shells of the hatched eggs are immediately removed from the nest by the female, who sometimes eats part of the shell for calcium.

In the first week of life, the chicks are fed by their mother, the male brings food to the nest for the partner. From the second week, both parents feed the chicks. Young robins leave the nest about two weeks after hatching, the parents feed the brood for another 15 days.

During the breeding season, the female sometimes makes a second clutch in the same, but often in a new nest.

What and how do robins eat?

The bird feeds mainly on insects and spiders, as well as fruits, berries and seeds in cold winters, consumes earthworms.

At the beginning of summer, insects make up most of the diet, and the robin also feeds on worms, snails, spiders, and other invertebrates. Intensively eats fruits (make up about 60% of the diet all year round), wild berries. Young birds prey on insects and earthworms.

Zaryanka’s voice – video