very strange

[carpathia]

Hi folks! I am new here so I hope I am doing this right.

Last week, our two maole robins were really going at it. As they do. They don't have to compete for food, so it is the usual male thing.
Today however, in fact just a few minutes ago, these same two robins were actually taking food from one another. Well actually, one was taking and then flying off only to return a few moments later to get another food morsel from his *friend*.
Any comments on this would be most welcome. I have had both these robins on my hands for the past two years, they are very tame, but never have I seen this sort of behaviour before.
Thanks
Carpathia

[mrs fish]

Sounds like male and female, two males would not tolerate each other

Male and females are alike in looks

[carpathia]

Nope! Very definitely two males. With the brightest red breasts ever. That is why it is so strange. These two have lived with us for thee years, coming from the same brood. As I said in my first post, both of them are hand feeders. They also perch on my shoulders when I am gardening. So - anyone else with any ideas on this very un-robin-like behaviour?

[Ollie]

Originally Posted by mrs fish

Sounds like male and female, two males would not tolerate each other

Male and females are alike in looks

I agree,

I stand to be corrected on this but all the years I have been birding I have never been able to tell which is male or female. In my opinion the brightness of the breast is not an indication of the sex of the bird.

It would be most unusual for two males to tolerate each other let alone take food from each other at this time of year when the mating urge is coming on strong

Welcome to WAB as well
Roger

[Tursiops2]

Male and female Robins are indistinguishable (at least to Humans), both have red breasts and both hold winter territories. This sounds like typical behaviour of a mated pair.

Welcome to the forum
T2

[hobble]

Originally Posted by Tursiops2

Male and female Robins are indistinguishable (at least to Humans), both have red breasts and both hold winter territories. This sounds like typical behaviour of a mated pair.

Welcome to the forum
T2

Hi,
We have a pair of robins, they are a couple as one has just been building a nest. They feed side by side and often share branches with no quarrels.
Your robins are probably paired up and dining together!!

[galanthus]

I agree, we have 3 robins on occasion, the pair stay together and feed within feet of each other, when a male arrives, the other robin dive bombs at it and is quite aggressive. All 3 look identical but are very obviously 2 male and 1 female going by behaviour.

[coasty]

Classic robins in love behaviour,,, Oh yes and welcome to the forum

[carpathia]

*hangs head in utter shame*
I stand corrected! The robin of my original pair returned late yesterday and there was, as you rightly said, hell to pay. Now that's the behaviour we all know and love.
On another note entirely, I do have a blackbird which incorporates neighing within his song! We are surrounded by horses here (the Luxulyan valley, Cornwall), and according to a friend who is a volunteer with the RSPB, this is not unknown. It usually occurs amongst the crow species though. Thank you for the lovely welcome (couldn't be bettered in my homeland of Wales!), and it is nice to be here.

Warmly
Carpathia

[dmclean2]

Hi Carpathia,
And welcome to WAB, dont be embarrassed, everyone on this site is on a learning curve of some description, it's just that some of them are miles in front of us.
All the best.
Duncan

[witham]

We used to have a bird, Starling or Blackbird, that mimiked the 'come on' call I use for bringing the sheep in, luckily the sheep wern't fooled as the bird hadn't learned how to make the sound of their feed nuts rattling in the bucket

[Goatboy]

I do have a blackbird which incorporates neighing within his song! We are surrounded by horses here (the Luxulyan valley, Cornwall), and according to a friend who is a volunteer with the RSPB, this is not unknown.

I give up!!!

My recent efforts to learn birdsong have proved difficult enough thanks to starlings copying other birds, but when birds start impersonating Mr Ed it really is time to admit defeat.

[carpathia]

Thank you for the warm welcome Duncan.

Oh I love it Witham! I have often heard of birds, especially blackbirds and crows mimicking whistles before, but never a horse neigh. There used to be a jackdaw where I lived before, that wolf whistled everyone that walk under the tree it sat in.

@ Goatboy.