Need a crow-proof robin nesting box

February 24, 2021 12:21 PM

I am a complete novice at this, where can I find a nestbox suitable for an American Robin, that is crow proof? It's heartbreaking how the robins build nests every year and the crows eat their eggs (the crows around here have plenty of food sources without that). Help me find something that will work, preferably that I can buy already made, but I can do some work on it if I have to. Thanks!
posted by Rufous-headed Towhee heehee to Pets & Animals (5 answers total)

Best answer: American Robins (which are in the thrush family, unlike European Robins or Australasian Robins) are not cavity nesters. They won’t nest in an enclosed box. They will nest on flat spots under eaves of houses, and crows won’t usually come that close to a house to raid their nest. You can put up a platform under the eaves and they might use it, but there are problems associated with robins nesting on houses.
posted by jkent at 12:44 PM on February 24, 2021 [3 favorites]

Best answer: Adding to the "problems" anecdata: Every year, I have at least one numbskull-male-robin attacking the windows, even without the nesting boxes, so be forewarned. This is very likely if you have somewhere they can perch and then see their reflection (in my case a railing and giant-ass windows onto that deck). There is literally nothing you can do to stop this, in my experience, other than covering the outside of the window.

On the other hand, I've had lots of robins build nests in hanging plant pots on decks. They make it a pain to water said plants, but usually you can work around them. So maybe just hang up some geraniums or other annuals?

Finally, as sad as crows-eating-eggs is, robins are really good at making more robins, at least around here. Every winter when the leaves fall I discover nests just a few feet from the ground in various dense deciduous shrubs, often just three feet or so from the ground. I don't have species to recommend, but the nests I find are always in very dense foliage, which undoubtedly offers some protection from the corvids.
posted by maxwelton at 3:24 PM on February 24, 2021 [1 favorite]

Best answer: robins are really good at making more robins

Yup. An American Robin can produce three successful broods in one year. On average, though, only 40 percent of nests successfully produce young. Also, robin populations are stable or increasing and listed as of low concern conservationally.

You can still support robins with a nest platform and a feeder and try not to worry about the egg predation. You can also find other bird species in your area that need more support and provide them with nesting sites, feeders, bird baths and make your home bird friendly.
posted by carrioncomfort at 6:21 AM on February 25, 2021 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Hi! I agree with the above that robins aren't known for using boxes to nest.

They also can have interesting relationships with other birds and nesting.

Here is a nice resource with info about robins and tips for supporting your local robins.
posted by RobinofFrocksley at 6:34 AM on February 25, 2021 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Thanks everyone, I might try hanging a planter up to see if he's interested. It's not so much that I'm worried about the level of the predation so much as (I know this might sound weird) I get a little distressed hearing the robin's distress calls while the predation is going on. The nest this happened in was in a tree under the eves in the front of my house so proximity didn't seem to matter to the crows. Thought about throwing a net of some kind over it but that presents other problems. Anyway, thanks!
posted by Rufous-headed Towhee heehee at 7:29 PM on February 26, 2021