
Robin eggs, with their distinctive blue hue, hold a special place in the world of birdwatching and nature study. These small yet significant marvels of nature form a crucial part of the lifecycle of robins.
Even robins themselves have a fascinating journey from the time they start building their nests to the point where they lay their eggs and incubate them. How baby robins hatch also carries a very interesting story in itself.
In this article, we’ll explore everything you need to discover about these sky-blue eggs, including the robin’s end-to-end journey in laying and caring for them, and even the do’s and don’ts when you encounter one. Let’s start!
What Color Are Robin Eggs?

Robin eggs are renowned for their distinctive shade of sky blue. This color is so unique that it inspired its own name: “Robin’s egg blue.”
Unlike many bird species, robin eggs are solid in color, lacking any spots or speckles that commonly adorn other bird eggs.
However, robins aren’t the only birds to lay light blue eggs. To correctly identify a robin’s egg, remember to look for its smooth, unblemished shell and characteristic blue shade.
Why Are Robin Eggs Blue?
Robin eggs exhibit a unique blue hue due to a pigment called biliverdin, derived from the mother robin’s blood. This transformation of hemoglobin into bile pigments occurs naturally, independent of the bird’s diet.
The egg color also impacts the embryo’s temperature regulation. Lighter eggs reflect more heat, keeping the chick cooler, but are more susceptible to harmful UV rays.
In contrast, darker eggs are better protected against UV rays but risk overheating.
Consequently, the color of a bird’s eggs often corresponds to their habitat, with birds in sunny areas laying lighter eggs and those in shaded regions laying darker eggs.
A 2012 study also suggested that male robins take better care of chicks from brighter blue eggs, interpreting the color as a sign of robust health in both mother and chick.
How Rare Are Robin Eggs?

Robins are common birds found across North America and parts of Europe. Hence, their eggs are not particularly rare in the natural world.
They produce a significant number of eggs during their breeding season, which typically runs from April through July.
Consequently, finding robin eggs is relatively common during these months, especially in areas where these birds are prevalent.
How Long Is a Robin Pregnant Before Laying Eggs?
The term “pregnant” is typically not used for birds, but the robin’s process from nest-building to hatching eggs typically spans 17 to 27 days.
The construction of the nest, made of twigs, mud, and dried grass, takes about 2 to 6 days. Meanwhile, the gestation period for robins, or the time during which the embryo develops, is typically 13 to 14 days.
How Many Eggs Do Robins Lay at Once?

Robins typically lay one egg per day until they have a clutch or group of eggs. The size of a robin’s clutch varies but most often consists of 3 to 4 eggs during their first nesting of a season.
It’s quite rare for a robin to lay five eggs in one clutch, and this usually occurs when a robin inadvertently deposits an egg into another’s nest.
For subsequent nestings within a season, clutches sometimes contain only two eggs.
A female robin fuels this labor-intensive process by consuming earthworms early in the morning before laying her eggs. The diet supports the energetic demands of producing the signature bright blue eggs.
In regions like the southern United States, where conditions are favorable, robins can raise up to three or more broods in a year, each with their own clutch of eggs.
When Do Robins Lay Eggs?
Robins typically begin laying eggs in mid-April and can produce up to three, occasionally four, broods each year. When multiple broods are laid in a single year, the final clutch can occur as late as late July or even August.
After nest construction is completed, the female robin begins to lay her eggs, which usually takes three to five days.
Where Do Robins Lay Their Eggs?

Robins, just like any other birds, lay their eggs on the nests they create. When making their nests, robins use more than just twigs and mud. They often add things like flower petals, pieces of paper, string, or cloth to the outside.
These extra materials help hide the nest by making it blend in with the surrounding light and shadows. It’s a smart way to keep the nest safe from predators.
To share my experience with this wonderful phenomenon, I was happy to have experienced this natural nest-building skill of a robin on a tree right outside my window.
The nest built by the robin was not just intricate, but it was also of a perfectly rounded shape and was sturdy enough to carry and protect the eggs securely.
How Long Does a Mother Robin Wait Before She Starts Laying Eggs?
After completing her nest, a mother robin typically begins laying eggs within a day or two. However, several factors can influence this timeline.
Firstly, both parents need proper nutrition before they can be ready to reproduce. If inclement weather makes food scarce, the female robin may lack the energy to lay eggs.
Cold conditions could also cause delays since the mother needs to generate enough heat for incubation.
Moreover, the female must ovulate before egg formation can commence, and this might not happen on time if spring arrives late. Therefore, even if the nest is ready, the mother robin may need extra time to start laying eggs.
How Much of the Day Does a Robin Spend Incubating the Eggs?

After a robin lays her eggs, she starts a process called incubation, where she sits on the eggs to keep them warm so they can develop. This crucial stage requires a significant amount of time each day.
The mother robin typically spends about 75% to 85% of her day, or around 18 to 20 hours, sitting on her eggs to incubate them.
She rarely leaves the nest for more than five or ten minutes at a time, only stepping away to search for food or stretch her wings.
This dedicated parenting ensures that the eggs receive the consistent warmth they need to develop into healthy chicks. These are average figures, though, and individual robins might show slightly different behaviors.
How Long Does a Mother Robin Sit on Her Eggs?
A mother robin takes on a vital role after laying her eggs, devoting herself to incubating them. This involves sitting on her nest to provide the necessary warmth for her eggs to develop into chicks.
Typically, she settles into this task for about 12 to 14 days until the eggs hatch, proving her commitment to her future offspring.
It’s worth noting that most robins start the incubation process only after the entire clutch of eggs has been laid. This ensures that all the eggs have the same chance to develop simultaneously.
How Long Do Robin Eggs Take to Hatch?

Robin eggs take about 12 to 16 days to hatch. Each egg hatches one by one in the same order as they were laid. Hatching is tough work. The chick uses a tiny, sharp part on its beak to break the shell.
This can take a whole day because the chick needs to rest during the process. When the chick finally hatches, it can’t see, it doesn’t have feathers, and it’s very light, weighing less than a quarter.
What to Do If You Find a Robin Egg?
If you find a robin egg, the best thing to do is leave it alone. Sometimes, the egg might not have a baby bird inside because it wasn’t fertilized or didn’t develop right.
Not all bird eggs found on the ground are lost or abandoned. The parents might even remove these eggs from the nest to protect the other hatchlings.
An important point to note is that it’s illegal to keep a bird egg, nest, or feather without a license due to the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918. This includes eggs that might have fallen from a nest.
If you can’t leave the egg where you found it, get in touch with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Should You Try to Raise Abandoned Eggs Yourself?

It’s crucial to resist the urge to raise abandoned robin eggs yourself. To start, keeping any wild bird, whether it’s an egg, chick, or adult, is against state and federal laws.
Additionally, robins abandon their eggs only when they feel their chances of successful hatching are low, suggesting that human intervention might not increase survival rates.
Where Do Robins Build Nests?
Robins, found in Alaska, Canada, and most parts of the United States, except for the very hot southern areas, are flexible in where they build their nests.
They can nest on tree branches or ledges, and they don’t mind using man-made spaces like planters or windowsills.
Further, early in the nesting season, before leaves appear on deciduous trees, robins tend to choose coniferous trees for their nests, making these first nests of the year easier to spot.
Pictures of Robin Nests and Eggs
To better appreciate the beautiful blue eggs and the nests made by robins, this section provides some photos of these amazing creations. This will also help you easily identify these eggs accurately as you see them.

As you can see, the robin’s nest usually has 3 to 4 blue eggs that are smooth and unblemished, especially during the first nesting of the season.

For subsequent nestings within a season, expect a clutch to contain an average of two eggs, just like in the photo above.

Dark blue-colored eggs of a robin often mean that they were laid in a darker or shaded region and are better protected from the ultraviolet rays of the sun.

You can see newly hatched robins in this photo as they wait for their sibling to get out of its shell — a process that can take an entire day.
Meanwhile, you can check this video to witness the actual hatching of robins from their smooth, blue eggs:
As you have a visual feel of robin eggs on their nests and the hatching process, this also urges us to advocate for the conservation of these birds so that they continue to be a part of our dynamic environment.
Did the article drive you closer to robins and their astonishing smooth blue eggs? Share your thoughts with us through the comments section below. We are excited to hear from you!