#1: A Baby Robin is Called a Hatchling!
Did you know that a baby robin is called a hatchling? It’s true! These tiny birds hatch from eggs, which is where they get their nicknames. However, they aren’t the only baby animals called this! Other baby birds, baby crocodiles, and even baby turtles are also called hatchlings. Baby robins can also be called nestlings or fledglings, depending on their age and stage of development. Robin hatchlings are considered fully grown once they are around two to three weeks old.
#2: Baby Robins are Ugly
Baby animals are usually known for being some of the most adorable creatures on Earth. After all, they’re tiny, cute, and sometimes even fuzzy with squeaky little voices. When it comes to the baby robin, though, “cute” is not a word that is often (if ever) used to describe them. The truth is, robin hatchlings are born mostly bald. While they have a few small patches of downy feathers, they are almost unrecognizable from their adult parents. They’re kind of ugly. Their skin is tinged with yellow and is so transparent that you can see many of their internal organs straight through it! They weigh an astoundingly small 5.5 ounces, which is about the weight of a quarter. You might be surprised to learn that there is a good reason why baby robins are uglier than other baby birds. The answer is simple: they’re younger when they’re born. While other baby birds have several weeks to incubate inside their eggs, robin hatchlings only grow for around 12-14 days before hatching. This means that they don’t develop their feathers or other defining features for a few more weeks after hatching.
#3: Robin Hatchlings Grow Seriously Fast!
We’ve learned that baby robins are born a mere 12 to 14 days after their mothers lay their eggs. When they’re born, they weigh less than the weight of a quarter! However, they make up for their small stature very quickly once they hatch. Can you believe that a robin hatchling grows to be the same size as its adult parents in just two weeks? It’s true! For the first two weeks of their lives, they remain in the nest and depend on their parents for food and protection. Somewhere around day 13, they leave the nest for the first time in a process called fledging. Once fledged, baby robins are stuck on the ground for a few days. This means that they are extremely vulnerable to predators, since they’re not very fast runners and cannot yet fly. Fledgling robins are also still perfecting their hunting skills and still need their parents to feed them for the first few days out of the nest. However, once a few days have passed, it is time for the mother robin to lay a new clutch of eggs. Male robins play an important part in protecting and providing for the new robin chicks, so both parents leave their fledglings behind. Now, the baby robins rely on watching other adult robins to learn their way around the world.
#4: Robin Hatchlings Have a Huge Appetite!
Judging by their size, it can be tough to imagine a baby robin eating more than a few bites of food a day. However, they’re only bound to their nests for their first two weeks of life. This means they have a ton of growing to do before they’re ready to face the world alone. We know that baby robins are fully-grown at around 2 weeks old. One of the main ways that they sustain this type of growth is through consuming large amounts of earthworms. At first, they are only offered small, broken-up bits of worm. But as they grow, they are offered incrementally larger amounts of food. Did you know that the average robin hatchling consumes around 14 feet of earthworms within their first 2 weeks? That’s about as tall as a fully-grown elephant or as wide as an adult alligator. That’s quite the appetite for such a small baby bird!
#5: Baby Robin Eggs are Extraordinary!
You probably already know that robins hatch from eggs, but did you know that they serve a purpose beyond housing the infant birds? It’s true! After baby robins hatch from their brightly-colored eggs, the shells are removed from the nest. Sometimes, mother robins will even consume the eggs, which gives her a boost of calcium. Baby robins are called hatchlings, nestlings, or fledglings, depending on their age. How much do baby robins weigh? Baby robins are born weighing around 5.5 ounces, which is lighter than a quarter! They grow fast, though, reaching their adult weight in just about two weeks. What do baby robins eat? You won’t find a robin at a bird feeder. This is because both baby and adult robins eat a diet of berries, earthworms, and other small insects.
