How long does it take for Robin eggs to hatch?
Do you want to know how long does it take for Robin eggs to hatch? In the springtime, when the days grow warmer and the sun shines brighter, people across North America fall in love with the sight of robins hopping around in their yards. These brightly-colored birds are a sign that warmer weather is on its way!
When a bird lays eggs, it doesn’t go away from the eggs. Instead, the bird sits on the eggs to keep warm and protected. So, the incubation period or hatching is from when a mother lays eggs to the gestation period.
In this article, we’ll talk about how long it takes for robin eggs to hatch as well as the incubation periods and information regarding this.
Contents
How long does it take for Robin Eggs to hatch?
When 12 days have passed, it’s time for robin eggs to hatch in most cases. However, depending on the situation, it can take up to two or three additional days. We’ve already mentioned that the eggs will hatch in their laid sequence.
The cheeks will gradually use their sharp bill or beak to crack the egg. After that, the hatching will complete when the egg shell breaks just enough to make the necessary space. The chicks take around 2 to 5 minutes to crack the egg.
The Gestation Period for Robins
The gestation period varies according to the type of bird. Big birds will require more time for gestation than the smaller ones. For example, the gestation period for eagles is about one month or more, while the gestation period for sparrows is around two weeks.
However, Robins are tiny to medium-sized birds. These birds usually take about 13 to 14 days for gestation. It takes 13 days for the embryo to grow to its average length. If temperature and weather conditions are well, the embryo will develop within ten days in some cases.
Robins usually lay eggs in cold countries like Canada and the USA. So, the birds must sit on the eggs for longer to keep them warm.
How many eggs do Robins lay?
The clutch size of the robin eggs is around 5 to 6. However, it’s worth noting that these birds can also lay a single egg at a time. Therefore, the bird can lay two, three, four, and up to 5 eggs when conditions are well.
However, robins brood two to three times a year. Therefore, you can expect to have five to eight eggs per year. Eight eggs per year is an exaggeration because robin won’t lay two or more eggs during every brood.
If we summarize, robins will lay eggs twice a year, which will result in 4 to 6 eggs each year. In rare scenarios, this number may increase up to 8 a year.
Another interesting fact: If you find eight eggs in a robin nest, it might result from two female birds. It’s usual for these birds to lay eggs in a single nest. However, if the nest is wide enough, It can accommodate three birds too.
What month do Robins lay Eggs?
Egg-laying occurs from late April to mid-August for Robins. However, even in March, robins are known to lay their eggs. The hatching process of the robin eggs is impressive. We understand that the robins lay one egg at a time. Suppose, in two days, a robin has laid two eggs. The first baby will come from the first laid egg, followed by the second one.
That means baby birds come out of the eggs in the order of egg-laying by a robin bird. The robins are very protective of their nests and won’t mind fighting other birds for them.
What happens before hatching?
Before the hatching starts, the mother protects the egg in several ways:
- First, the adult female bird sits on the eggs to keep their eggs warm.
- Secondly, the mother bird protects the eggs from other predatory birds.
It’s also essential to keep the egg nest intact. So, during adverse conditions, the adult bird becomes more alert and might add extra branches or leaves to protect the nest. The start of egg-laying to hatching is called the gestation period. This period is almost two weeks or 12 to 13 days for robins.
How long the mother bird stays away from the nest?
No, the mother bird usually incubates the eggs and keeps them warm. The male bird might help construct the nest and bring food for the female during this time. After hatching, both parents will help in feeding the chicks. However, the female bird will do most of the work.
How long does it take for a Robin bird to leave the nest?
The mother bird has to feed itself every day. So, the adult ones will have to leave the nest. At that time, the eggs remain unprotected. However, the female bird will leave the nest for 10 to 15 minutes (maximum) and return with food.
Sometimes, the mother bird won’t leave the nest even if it’s hungry due to adverse weather. For example, if there’s a storm, the mother bird will stay put into protecting the eggs. If you find a baby bird on the ground, your first thought would be to help it.
After all, the poor thing must have fallen out of its nest! However, it’s best to resist the urge to help. Mother birds are very protective and will often reject any babies humans have touched.
Instead of picking up the baby bird, you can create a makeshift nest for it. Simply line a small box or basket with soft materials like cloth or paper towels. Place the nest in a safe spot away from predators and ensure the baby bird has easy access.
Once the baby is in the nest, keep an eye on it from a distance to ensure the mother bird returns to care for it.
How many times a year do Robins lay Eggs?
If we consider statistics, Robins lay eggs about 2 to 4 times a year. So usually, we expect these birds to brood at least twice a year. If conditions are well, then they’ll go for a third brood.
However, there’re instances of a robin laying eggs four times yearly. It’s important to note that, during each brood, we can expect at least two eggs. However, the clutch size can range from 2 to 5 eggs. Five eggs from a single brood are rare, but it happens.
Also, robin won’t lay more than one egg at a time. You might wonder if a robin lays eggs two to four times a year, we can expect more than eight eggs each year. But, it’s always not the case because other birds sometimes steal eggs.
Due to adverse weather conditions, eggs can crack or fall from the nest. Overall, only a few eggs and cheeks survive each year. We can expect good hatching if the eggs are protected under suitable temperature conditions. The baby bird stays in the nest for two weeks or longer after hatching before leaving.
Now we know how long does it take for robin eggs to hatch as well as how many eggs a robin lays each year.
Final Words
How long does it take for a robin egg to hatch, the length of time a robin stays away from the nest, how long it takes for chicks to leave the nest, and how often robins lay eggs can vary depending on various circumstances. What is constant, however, is that both male and female birds take care of the young once they’ve hatched. These are just some interesting facts about robins that you might not have known.
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