Facts About A Frequently Seen Bird About Town

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All About Those Rockin Robins

• Facts About A Frequently Seen Bird About Town

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Basic Robin Facts

• Members of the thrush family, which also includes
  bluebirds, solitaires and Wood Thrushes
• Named by early colonists for the European Robin
  they had left behind the two are distantly
  related both have red breasts

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Basic Robin Facts

• Male robins have a dark gray almost black, back
  and tail with a rust/brick colored breast
• Female is paler all over
• Juveniles have a spotted breast

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Basic Robin Facts

• American Robins can be found throughout North
  America at some time during the year
• Those living in the West tend to be paler in
  color and often lack the white markings on the
  outer corners of their tail

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Migration Habits

• Most American Robins migrate in flocks primarily
  during the daylight hours
• Females migrate to areas where food is more
  abundant to help insure they are in top condition
  for the rigors of raising young in the spring

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Migration Habits

• While the majority of American Robins migrate
  south each fall, a small number of stragglers
  usually remain behind and endure the winter
• The majority of over-wintering robins are males
  trying to insure they have first choice of
  nesting territories in the spring

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Migration Habits

• Male robins that migrate usually arrive on the
  breeding grounds up to two weeks before the
  females return
• Robins usually return to the same area to nest
  each year and may occasionally use last years
  nest again after some renovation

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Courting Habits

• Only the male sings, but both sexes have calls
  and alarm notes
• You typically hear robins first thing on a spring
  morning and the last thing before dark

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Nesting Habits

• Typically nest from April through July and can
  have 2-3 broods in a season
• Females build the nest and incubate the eggs alone

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Nesting Habits

• Unlike most birds, robins do not lay their eggs
  at sunrise
• They lay their eggs several hours later during
  the mid-morning
• Since earthworms are easier to find in the early
  morning, they feed first and then return to their
  nest to lay their egg

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Nesting Habits

• Over 50 of all nesting attempts by robins fail
  to produce young
• Out of the successful nesting attempts, only ¼ of
  the fledglings will survive until November

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Fun Feeding Facts

• Robins eat a variety of insects and berries and
  change their feeding habits depending on the time
  of day
• Its been noted that robins eat 14 FEET of
  earthworms in a day
• Worms only make up about 15 - 20 of a robins
  summer diet

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Fun Feeding Facts

• Locate earthworms by cocking their head to one
  side, using each eye to look for visible signs of
  worms
• You will likely find robins in your yard after a
  rain or after the sprinkler has been on or even
  after the lawn has been mowed, as this brings
  worms and insects to the surface

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Fun Feeding Facts

• Robins also feed on wild and cultivated fruits
  and berries and insects such as beetle grubs,
  caterpillars, and grasshoppers

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Life Expectancy

• The average lifespan of a robin is 1 ½ years
• The oldest known robin lived to be 14 years old
• The American Robin population seems to be stable,
  even increasing - apparently benefiting from the
  urbanization and agricultural uses of the land

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Backyard Behavior

• Robins can be attracted to a feeding station by
  offering mealworms, fruit and a birdbath
• Robins are particularly vulnerable to pesticide
  poisoning due to their preference for foraging on
  lawns

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WebResource
For more information about the American
Robin, visit our online field guide www.rightbi
rd.com
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