Robins are beautiful little birds with interesting nesting habits.
In most cases, it is unlikely for a robin to return to an old nest.
Robins will build a nest every time they have a new brood, which is twice or thrice a year.
In most cases, most female robins will have a new brood twice a year.
Generally, robins will not return to the same nest when preparing for a new brood.
However, there are a few robins that might return to the old nest.
Robins will identify another safe place and build a new nest for the next brood.
Sometimes, they might not shift the location.
Some will prefer to build a new nest on top of the old one or rebuild or renovate the old one.
Will Robins Use The Same Nest Twice?
As mentioned above, most robins will not reuse the old nest after raising the brood successfully.
They prefer to move to a new location to raise another set of babies.
Only a very small percentage of robins will reuse the old nest.
However, some robins might use the old nest as a foundation when constructing a new nest.
So, do not be in a hurry to remove the old nest.
Let it stay for a few weeks as you monitor the activities of robins.
Do Baby Robins Come Back To The Nest?
Robins take approximately two weeks to hatch their beautiful blue eggs.
When a robin is about 13 days old, it will take its first flight from the nest, a process known as fledging.
Two weeks after the eggs have hatched, the baby robins will leave their nests.
At this stage, they have fully developed feathers, although the parents continue to feed them for up to a month.
Also, at this stage, the adult robins might move to a new location and are teaching their offspring to feed themselves and live on their own.
In most cases, robins and their babies will leave the nest after one and half months and will not return.
Once the robin family moves to a new location, they may build new nests or sleep in shaded branches.
Check out my article – Do robins sleep in their nests at night?
Should You Remove An Old Robins Nest?
Once the robins have raised a successful brood and the family moves out of the nest, chances are they will not be coming back to the old nest.
Also, once the robins leave their nest, the nest will become infested with parasites, get wet and grow mold which renders it unusable.
Therefore, you should take the old nest down to give room to another robin family seeking a safe place for their next brood.
However, before you take it down, you should definitely give it a few weeks, depending on the circumstances, to see if the robins will consider renovating or using their old nest as a foundation for a new one.
How Many Times Do Robins Lay Eggs In One Season?
The ideal breeding season for robins starts at the onset of spring, around March, and lasts until the end of September.
The female robin starts laying eggs between April and August.
Generally, robins will have a minimum of two broods and up to four in one brooding season.
Typically, the female lays about four or five eggs per brood.
It will lay one egg each day until the clutch is enough.
Some robins may continue to lay eggs if they lose their eggs until they feel the eggs are enough for brooding.
A female robin sits on the eggs for about 12- 14 days and will only leave the eggs for just 10 to 15 minutes at a time.
Once the eggs hatch, they will raise their babies and repeat the process of building a new nest, laying eggs, brooding and raising another set of chicks.
Wrapping Up
Robins are beautiful small birds with interesting nesting habits.
Their nests are bowl-shaped, measuring about four to six inches across.
The nests are mostly built on bushes, trees, and buildings.
The female robins are responsible for constructing the nest, while the male robin helps collect the construction materials.
Generally, robins do not reuse their old nests, although a few do most robins prefer constructing new nest on top of an old nest.
So don’t be in a hurry to remove an old nest – Give it a few weeks before you decide what to do
