Where do robins nest?
Robin · Erithacus rubecula
Robins nest low down, usually below about two metres, in a hollow or on a ledge with something over the top: the base of a thick hedge, ivy on a wall, a hole in a bank or a wall, a gap in a shed, or an open-fronted nest box. They start in March and usually raise two broods a year, sometimes three.
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- Where
- Low hollows and ledges with cover, usually under 2 m
- Nest
- A cup of dead leaves, moss and grass, built by the female
- When
- March to early summer, first eggs usually in April
- Eggs
- Usually 4 or 5, kept warm by the female for about two weeks
- Broods
- Two, sometimes three
- Fledging
- About two weeks after hatching
- Nest box
- Open-fronted, low down and well hidden
Where robins nest
A robin wants a nook. Not a branch out in the open like a blackbird’s nest, but a hollow with a roof over it and cover around it: a dip in a bank, a hole in an old wall, the tangle of stems at the bottom of a hedge, the space behind thick ivy. Almost always it is low, within a couple of metres of the ground.
That is why they do so well in gardens. Sheds, garages, log piles, climbers on fences and the backs of hedges are full of exactly that kind of spot, and robins are not fussy about whether it was meant for them. They have been found nesting in plant pots, on shelves in sheds and in the engines of parked cars.
What a robin’s nest looks like
It is a neat cup sitting on a base of dead leaves and moss, with grass worked into the walls and a soft lining of fine grass, roots and hair. From the outside it can be hard to spot, because it is usually tucked so far back into its hollow.
The female builds it on her own. The male’s job while she builds and lays is to bring her food, and he brings a good share of what she eats in those weeks.
When robins nest
Nesting usually starts in March, and earlier after a mild winter. The first eggs are most often laid in April, and pairs can still be nesting in June. There are usually four or five eggs, white with reddish freckles.
The female sits on them for around two weeks. Once they hatch, both parents feed the chicks, which leave the nest about two weeks later. At that point they are speckled brown all over with no red breast yet, and they cannot fly well. They spend a few days hopping about in cover while the parents keep feeding them, which is when people find them and worry. The pair then often starts again with a second brood.
How to help robins nest in your garden
If I could only do one thing, it would be to leave some thick cover: a hedge that is not clipped to the bone, ivy left on a wall or fence. After that:
- Put up an open-fronted nest box. Robins will not use the small round-hole boxes made for tits. They want a box with the top half of the front open (a front panel around 10 cm high), fixed low down, below 2 metres, and hidden among climbers or shrubs on a wall, fence or tree trunk, out of strong sun.
- Cut hedges in autumn and winter. The RSPB advises not cutting hedges and trees from March to August, which is when most birds are nesting.
- Leave the nest alone. Robins are wary at the nest and may stay away if they feel watched. Look from a distance, and do not go and check on it.
- Feed them. Mealworms and suet go down well, especially in a cold spring when insects are short.
Checked against: RSPB: Robin, BTO BirdFacts: Robin, BTO robin nest box plan. Last checked 8 November 2026.
Your turn: find the robins a nest
One nest in every row, every column and every colour, and no two nests touching, not even at a corner. Tap a square once to cross it off. Double tap to place a nest.
Every nest found
Those are the robin’s first three levels. The game has 1,000, and nineteen more birds.
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Questions
What month do robins nest?
Usually from March, with most first eggs laid in April. With two or three broods a year, a pair can still be nesting in June.
Do robins use nest boxes?
Yes, but only open-fronted ones. Fix it low, below about 2 metres, and hide it in climbers or a shrub. A box with a small round hole will not suit them.
How long do baby robins stay in the nest?
About two weeks after hatching. They leave before they can fly properly and are fed by their parents in cover for a while after that.
I found a baby robin on the ground. What should I do?
Usually nothing. A speckled brown fledgling hopping about on its own is normal, and its parents are almost certainly nearby feeding it. Only move it if it is in immediate danger, and then just into nearby cover. Keep cats and dogs away for a few days if you can.
Is it illegal to move a robin’s nest?
Yes, while it is being built or used. Every wild bird’s nest is protected by law in the UK at that point (in Great Britain, by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981). Wait until the young have gone.
