My back yard Robin!

by Hannah
(Shelburne, Ontario, Canada)

Last week my Dad and I saw a Robin looking around the roof that covers our deck.

A couple of days later she started building the nest and after she was done building the nest she left for a day or two then came back, and as of yesterday she layed her first egg.

She might have layed more then one, but we only saw one.

There's probably another one today.

I'm worried because there seems to only be one Robin, a female, and no male. This means instead of the Robin sitting on her eggs to keep them warm, she has to get her own food and what not.

Today I saw a Crow approach the nest while the Robin was getting food, and right away the Robin flew back and I heard a commotion coming from the nest.

The Crow eventually flew away, but the Robin was terrified for her baby's life.

Crows seem to be interested in the Robin's eggs, so I'm afraid the Robin will starve because she is scared to leave her nest.

I can see the nest from my bedroom window, so I'm trying to keep a very close watch.

What can I do to help the Robin?

Thank you so much for your detailed information about the Robin in your yard. You're right, Crows will eat the eggs and young of other birds, so I hope the Crows stay away! Blue Jays will also take the young of the Robins.

I'm not sure that there is anything you can do to keep the eggs and chicks safe.

Fortunately, the babies grow quickly and soon grow feathers and leave the nest.

They grow so quickly that parent Robins have time to lay, and hatch, three batches of eggs each summer!

Please let us know what happens to your Robin and her young - how many eggs she lays, how many hatch, and how she copes by herself - let us know if a male Robin turns up to help her when she needs it!