Hello,
I am interested in the behaviour of a Robin on my feeder today. I took some photos quickly through the window. They are naff as the light in the background was too strong, but may give some help.
The Robin arrived at the feeder.
He then started acting oddly, tipping his head back and displaying his breast:
A second bird arrived and initially the first robin raised his tail as it arrived
But then they seemed quite peaceful together and there was no fighting -
before they were then frightened off by other birds.
Most information I have seen suggests the breast display is aggressive behaviour towards an intruder robin. But these two did not fight and I have seen a pair of Robins on the other side of the house several times over the last few months, and also once before together very briefly on the feeder, and I assumed this behaviour was an effort by the male to attract the mate. Is this behaviour ever used in courtship? I have not seen any feeding of the female going on - but on this occasion they were out of luck as the food supply was rather low!
Thanks
I'd have to look this up to answer it properly, but it is possible that this sort of behaviour is used both in as a threat display and in courtship (in both cases you can easily imagine the male wanting to show how big and strong he is!).
It is also possible that on seeing another Robin approaching a food source in 'his' territory, the first birds initial reaction was to try and scare the intruder off. The subsequent reactions, and behaviour, of the second bird may then have been enough to appease 'him' and allow recognition as 'his' mate, or a potential mate.
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I have just seen similar behaviour but not at a feeder. I think it must be courting behaviour. There was nothing aggressive about the way the birds behaved. Only one bird moved his (or her) head from side to side and puffed up the feathers on his breast.
That's territorial behaviour, but as it only lasted a short while it is quite possible that you have a male (on the feeder) joined by a female, whom he did not initially recognize. I saw the same with a pair of Robins in my garden back in 2013. They were a pair, but before they had become totally familiar with one another, the male would indulge in brief displays such as this, especially when other Robins had also been in the area. Territorial disputes do not have to involve physical interaction or aggression. Posturing is usually sufficient when they are in close proximity. Indeed many disputes are settled by the simple act of singing. The two rival birds might not even see one another.
Unicum arbustum haud alit duos erithacos
(One bush does not shelter two Robins)
Zenodotus (3rd Century B.C.)
I've also seen this behaviour this morning between 4 robins, presumably male. One was getting closer, rocking head held well back and showing a gap in the neck feathers caused by this. Never seen this before or so many robins together. Only one seemed to be displaying. They were all within 50 cm of each other.