Hard at Work
Baby robins inside the eggs don't develop much until their temperature reaches 98 to 100 degrees F (37 to 38 C). Warming the eggs and keeping them at that steady temperature is the purpose of incubation—the reason the mother sits on the eggs. Her mate brings her food to eat, or stays with the eggs if she leaves to grab a quick meal, but this is her job for 12-14 days until the eggs hatch.
"Our record cold (freezing) nights find this female low in her robust nest. But in the direct sunlight, she lets the sun warm the eggs for a short time, as she searches for worms."
Gary T. Leamington, Ontario, Canada April 24, 2015
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