Birding/Robin's Eggs

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Expert: - 5/30/2007


Question
I have a Robin's Nest under my deck. The first day I discovered it, it had five eggs, the next day six eggs. Now it has SEVEN Eggs! Is this possible - one robin with seven eggs? We have two robin couples living around here also. Could the two families be sharing the nest & laying their eggs in the same nest? I read where 4 eggs is the normal amount of eggs in a robin's nest.

Answer
Robins are known to lay 4-7 eggs, so it certainly is possible. There is no evidence that two pairs of Robins share one nest. If all the eggs are the same color and size, it is likely the one pair of Robins. (If one or more of the eggs is different, then something else is going on which I won't go into here.)Roger Lederer at Ornithology.com

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Roger Lederer

Expertise

Any and all about WILD birds - the science of ornithology. Information about birdwatching, ecology, conservation, migration, behavior, banding, rehabilitation, feeding, songs, binoculars, identification, and careers in ornithology. No questions about pet or caged birds, please.

Experience

Have a PhD and over forty years as a professional ornithologist - research, teaching, author, speaker, webmaster of Ornithology.com . Have written thirty scientific papers, three bird field guides, a textbook in ecology and two recent books entitled "Amazing Birds" and "Birds of New England". Have traveled to over 90 countries watching birds.

Education/Credentials
PhD in Zoology/Ornithology; Emeritus Professor of Biological Sciences; former Dean of the College of Natural Sciences at California State University, Chico

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