Robin Nesting on Our Entrance Light

by Iris Miller
(Greenwich,NY 12834)

My Story Begins

The 4 lucky babies have very attentive parents, what a thrill to watch this family of Robins thrive.

Yesterday I saw them clambering over each other all feathered and ready to go.

I missed the exodus mid morning, and would love to see a video of fledglings first flight out of the nest.

There was lots of singing in the trees this morning and afternoon.

I hope they all made it safely out, and away from the neighbor's sneaky cat.

I am sorry the door pictures of the nest flipped sideways when posted.

I don't know how to correct it.

Top of the Light Robin Nest in Iowa

by S. Bryant
(Iowa)

What was all that mess on my front porch?

Oh, no, some birds were building a nest right on top of my front porch light, next to my front door and just above my mail box.

This didn't seem like a good idea to me, so I cleaned up the stuff that had fallen on the porch floor.

There seemed to be more nesting material on the floor than on the light, so I optimistically -- and unrealistically -- thought this wouldn't last long. Wrong!

This nest was built by a pair of very determined robins.

Luckily, I didn't use my front door much, but USPS came up on the porch for daily mail delivery.

Being disturbed daily seemed like a bad idea for nesting robins, so I went out and bought a mailbox, attached it to a stand with a bungee cord, and posted a sign requesting that no one go up on my porch.

The postal carriers have been very obliging, perhaps because having the mailbox out on the sidewalk saves them several steps to and from my porch. (Imagine -- we have home mail delivery!)

The robins and I have accommodated each other.

There are now at least three fledglings who look like they are about ready to leave the nest.

I was looking forward to having my porch and front door back again.

But then I found this website and learned that robins may have up to three broods.

I'm looking forward to having my porch back, but I know I'll miss these lovely birds (and I'm hoping they have short memories and pick another spot next summer!).

Baby Robins in our Light!

by Kim
(Cookeville, Tennessee)

Baby Robins!
The baby robins are being raised right outside our back door, in our light fixture!

The babies hatched on mother's day after about 16 days of incubation. There were 4 blue robin eggs and now four little robins.

We love to watch them and mom and dad Robin are even comfortable feeding their young while we are observing!

The parents always stay close by, and we've gotten some really great photos of them. In the pictures above, the babies are now 5 days old.

Such a wonderful and neat experience to be able to share with my children.

We are hoping for a successful fledging period for all of them!

Robin Thinks Porch Light is Her Domain Only

by Pat Richardson
(Henrico,VA USA)

Nest Discovered

He is absolutely beautiful, and he seems to be a very attentive expectant father.

Add to this my daughter's male cat who can see all the birds movements from her large picture window, and he's going berserk inside.

Initially, her boyfriend wanted to knock the nest off the light when they first saw it, but my daughter wouldn't let him.

I laughed until I cried as she was telling me about this.

Eggs Hatched

Since the above 3 paragraphs were written, the eggs have all hatched.

There are four beautiful healthy baby robins in the nest now.

It's still up too high to see into the nest, but she's had success using her cell phone to take pictures.

My daughter is very proud of her "grandbirdies".

Do we remove the nest from the light fixture once the baby robins leave. While they enjoy the experience there is a slight mess.

I think they both feel one nesting is enough.

Comments for Robin Thinks Porch Light is Her Domain Only Average Rating Click here to add your own comments

Rating Robin's and Grackle's by: Anonymous This spring we noticed a robin building a nest on top of our porch light. As we observed this activity we became very interested. Something very different began to happen. We saw many twigs falling onto our porch floor. The nest was not yet completed. Next we saw something we never saw before. Another bird was invading the Robin's nest. We now watched more intently! A Grackle was tearing the Robin's nest up. It did this each day. The Robin kept coming back and many times rebuilt the nest. We watched this happen for several days. The Robin very patiently kept rebuilding it's nest. Finally 'my husband picked pieces of the nest and placed it back on the light trying to help the Robin. The Grackle won the battle. The Robin gave up and went else where.

Rating Our nest on our back porch light by: Barbara in Chicago About two weeks ago our friend started building her nest on our back porch light right by our back door…. not a very good location for either of us. Every time we leave the house, she flies away but always comes back. She waits on a branch of the Dutch Elm in our yard. We have a dog who is oblivious to her and her nesting behavior. We are just waiting for the babies and hoping that we don't get dive bombed once the little ones are hatched.

Rating Porch Light Robin's Nest - Sandston, VA by: Gwendolyn This year was the first time that We have had a Robin's nest on our front Porch light, since the house was built in 1996. The Momma Robin has been very cordial with us constantly going in & out of the house constantly at all hours of the day & night, often interrupting both her nesting & feeding times. The baby Robins hatched & made very little noise only "dunking down" whenever the door was opened. Last week they flew out of the nest on their own (just after "Mother's Day" - how appropriate). We would watched them from the glass storm door, keeping the wooden door open, unless we left the house or went to bed. I also put out a "Feeder" of mixed grains & suet blocks (1 with Fruit & 1 with Mixed Grains & Nuts), as well as a "Bath & Water" Bowl. We believe it's best to stay calm, talk softly (like to a baby) and don't make any sudden movements. Most animals (especially wild ones) will try to avoid you rather than attack you, if at all possible. Best Wishes for some Peace with your Winged Neighbors.

Rating Robin's nest on porch light by: Lisa in Lancaster A few years ago a robin made a nest on top of our porch light fixture, and we got to watch three baby's hatch and grow. I didn't want to remove the nest after they'd all gone, and now 3 years later, we have a new momma! At first we were worried because when we'd come in or out(it's our main door!) She'd try to fly away, but was hitting the rim of the porch roof overhang a lot, but now she's got the hang of it! I'm always out in our yard, talking to all the birds and taking pictures, photography of nature is my favorite thing to do! Anyway, she's used to me a little now, and I think my voice is familiar to her now....she just now stayed put while I opened the door to check to see if she was there! That's a first! She's usually gone before we're out the door! I found this site because I was concerned about the temp going low tonight, and wondered if I should leave the light on for them for heat, but someone here said they will be plenty warm without the light

Rating Now I have two Robin nests by: Shari So grateful to read this site. A month ago a Robin nest went in over my covered front porch on the light. I keep it off by the way. I got up this morning, went to my sliding glass doors in back and as I stuck my head out a Robin swooped me then lifted higher. I leaned out to find a full set up nest above my back deck on a sensor light I have never used. This nest was built sometime just this morning. Now I am grateful for the nature of it all and I love Robins, but now I am worried. I have to be able to use the deck, and I have a Lab who goes out by that route to the back yard. Not to mention later the prey dog in him I will have to watch close to keep ground hopping babies alive. So, my prayer now will be hoping if this couple stays and uses this nest they will get used to me. I don't want two nests, one on the front and one on the back porch all summer or it might make coming and going difficult.

Rating Live Your Life by: Gene Hi Shari, thanks for contributing to the website. I say, live the way you normally do. The sooner the better. If the eggs hatch and they have young, the Robins can be unnervingly aggressive. They won't hurt you, but, they will swoop and sometimes even tap you. Wear a hat. Yes, when it comes to the dog, watch him. Baby Robins always seem to land on the ground after leaving the nest. But, they are gone in a day or two.

Rating Persistence! by: Paul Noticed the nesting materials of a Robin few days ago on top of my porch light, also where the clothes line is attached to the house. Puzzled at first how this dead grass blew up on the light. Then I saw the robin visiting through the window, removed it twice but now will let them go ahead, after reading other posts on this site. Lots of crows, so it may be a decoy nest, from what I read. Nature knows best, Mother's Day, I will leave her efforts, but continue to use the back porch to sit in the Sunlight in the evening.

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Comments for Light Fixture Robins Nest Average Rating Click here to add your own comments

Rating Bird nest at light fixture by: Darlene We too, have a Robins nest at our front foor light fixture! It faces north and I suppose they get shelter from the overhang at my front door. I watched daily as the nest was built. Now I believe there may be some eggs there, as they sit often. We too, have been startled as we leave our home thru the front door, and they fly off, but stay close in the nearby tree, and then return. We have chosen more often to enter our home from the side door, so we don't disturb them. We eagerly await the babies. I also enjoy chickadees and sparrows, cardinals, bluejays, and more on my back porch, feeding. Recently, there has been a documented eagles nest about a mile away, so we get to enjoy those as well. As God watches over the sparrows, so he watches over us!

Rating Robin nesting in flower box by: Pam Connecticut I just filled my flower boxes last Friday. They are on the railing of a second story porch at the back of my house. On early Sun AM I heard some scraping outside my bedroom slider and later saw some evidence of nest building. She was very busy yesterday and by noon the nest looked complete--she made room between geraniums and verbena and nested in box right outside the bedroom slider to the porch. I managed to water the flowers around the nest. She is there again today. Will send pictures soon.

Rating Damm Robins by: Anonymous I have robins nesting on porch lights and on my garage opener. I put plastic bags in the lights, seems to help.

Rating Don't know what to do! by: Anonymous I had a robin's nest up under my deck, sitting on a wooden beam. The last robin that inhabited that nest abandoned it, I'm guessing due to egg thieves stealing all her eggs. A new robin (or maybe the same one) set up shop a few weeks back and I was excited....until I came home last night and found the nest upside down on the ground, one baby dead, one still alive and the mother lying in the mulch next to it all. I didn't know if the mother was injured or what. Later, the mother started laying on the baby (pink nestling) in the mulch! Just as if it were her nest. I didn't think that was a good place, long term, so I was advised by some rehabbers to try to get the nest, set it in a container with drainage and put it in the same place the baby was last. I did this but the Robin won't lay IN the nest. She is laying next to the nest. What gives? The nest was a little destroyed but I tried to reshape it again. Is it too messed up and she won't sit in it now and now I've put the helpless little baby in there? She seems to be feeding it and it's real hot outside so maybe it doesn't need her warmth. I'm just SO worried!!!

Rating Some Advice Please by: Ali We have a robin nest on our fence door, next to the garage wall. This is the only entrance to our place so we need to use it. Actually we kept using it as the nest was being built. The robin was flying away whenever we approach but kept coming back and now she already has 2 eggs in it. Now, I rarely see her though. My question is that if it is going to be okay for us to keep using the door when she starts incubation? I don't want her eggs to get spoiled because she gets scared and can't sit properly. but I don't know what else we can do?

Rating Atop the decorative tin pouch, next to the porch door!! by: Anonymous Well, last year my roommate got a sweet surprise when he saw the robins nest built at eye level by the upper porch door! They soon got used to each other and momma Robin was content in her nest on her beautiful blue eggs, as roommate traversed through his porch door. The babies grew up, and this year, there are a lot more robins hanging around!!

Rating Right outside on my old windowsill! by: Anonymous A few years back a robin was putting twigs on my old, wooden windowsill to build a nest, but the twigs would then roll off the slant. After many attempts, I helped out by nailing up there a board, edged with some nails, to hold in the twigs. Well, the robin finished up the (very nicely built) nest, and days later, I saw her beautiful eggs in the nest. After that, I could check in on the babies progress any time I wanted to, by lifting the curtain and checking just outside on the sill! What a joy!

Rating Diane by: First Name I have a wine cork wreath I made when I lived in FL, moved to Tenn and now have it on my back porch. The nest is still in it. Last week a Robin was in it she had three eggs in it I moved it from the door to the side of the porch. She comes in and out of it if I come out the door. No babies yet she is so pretty. Can't believe I still had the nest and another bird is using it. Hope to see babies soon so beautiful sweet little bird. I named her Sweety.

Rating Robins choose to nest by people by: Jenny Robins tend to choose their nests wisely near humans purposefully because we are a deterrent to their predators. So they know you're going to be coming in and out and that's what they want.

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