American Robins are one of the most common and recognizable birds across the North American continent. They may also be one of our most beloved. Their largeish size, distinctive coloration, beautiful song and tendency to favor the open grassy habitat of lawns and parks all contribute to the American Robin's happy status as a bird that even non-birders know and appreciate.
Robins are at home in every state of the Lower 48 for at least part of the year, as well as nearly all of Alaska and Canada, and much of Mexico as well! They are either residents in their range, meaning they stick around all year, or short-distance migrants that move south out of Canada and expand down into the southwestern U.S. and Mexico for the winter months.
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| Male American Robin, carrying food back to his nest. CO |
American Robins are members of the thrush family, Turdidae, along with bluebirds, solitaires and, naturally, the thrushes. Confusingly, the
Eurasian Blackbird (found across Europe and Asia) is also a member of the thrush family, while the European Robin is not. Eurasian Blackbirds are even classified in the same genus as American Robins, and sound quite similar! The small
European Robin, however, is an Old World Flycatcher, in the family Muscicapidae, and its relation to the American Robin is purely superficial: the two species share a striking rusty-red breast... but that's really about it.
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| Male American Robin in a park-like setting. CA |
Traditionally, in northern regions, the arrival of the robin has been heralded as the beginning of spring. Now, however, more and more American Robins are staying put throughout the winter, and even in January these cheery birds can be found somewhere in every continental state and southern Canadian province.
Contrary to popular belief, it's not the cold that forces birds like the American Robin to head south for the winter: it's food availability. As long as these berry-eating birds have a reliable food source up north, they are content to stick around and brave the cold. Birds have higher body temperatures than humans, and are protected by the amazing insulating qualities of feathers; but they need relatively large quantities of high quality food to fuel their metabolism and keep them protected against the cold. In many places, ornamental plantings of fruit-bearing trees and shrubs augment the robin's natural food sources, and large flocks roam nomadically throughout the winter from one good crop of berries to another.
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| A winter flock of rusty-colored American Robins is a treat for gray days! This one is enjoying the morning sun from the top of our backyard pecan tree. CA |
Once spring comes, flocks of American Robins disband and they become territorial once again, preparatory for the breeding season. Their diet shifts at this time as well, from the berries of winter to the plentiful worms of spring, which are once again accessible in newly-thawed ground.
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| Presumed female (with paler coloration and more white on her chest). WA |
This is perhaps the habit robins are best known for: Run, run, run across the grass, stop, cock head to one side, peer intently into the grass, listen, lunge forward, nab a worm and pull it from the ground. Run, run, run. Stop. Look. Listen. Lunge. Repeat. This is one of the robin's most endearing habits and is delightful to watch.
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| A successful hunt for a worm, one of the robin's favorite foods! |
Another endearing habit of the American Robin is its tendency to vocalize year-round. In the spring and summer breeding season, the sweet, cheerful song of the American Robin is one of North America's most familiar, beloved and beautiful birdsongs. But robins are quite vocal during the winter as well. Flocks of robins seem to almost continually produce a number of sounds that range from sharp alarm calls to soft but loud contact calls that I call "robin chuckles." They even burst out in snatches of their spring song from time to time. (
Have a listen here.)
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| The familiar American Robin is a truly beautiful bird, with its rusty-red breast, charcoal gray back and wings, white undertail coverts and eye arcs, and strong, yellow bill. CA |
American Robins breed in a wide variety of habitats; doubtless their tendency to not be too choosy has contributed to their wide success across the continent. While they are content to nest in the park down the street or your very own backyard, they are also common breeding birds in wild woods, mountainous regions and even on the tundra! (When we spent time in
the Pacific Northwest, I was surprised at how abundant robins were in the temperate rainforest habitat.)
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| Female American Robin on her nest. CA |
While female robins typically choose a horizontal branch for the construction of their cup-shaped nest, they also build nests on manmade structures and may even take to nesting platforms provided by generous humans, just for them. (
Learn how to build one and where to install it here.)
Robins may also be enticed to visit backyard bird feeding stations by providing peanuts, hulled sunflower seeds, fruit and mealworms in platform feeders or scattered on the ground. But native plants are always best: consider planting a selection of berry-bearing plants native to your region. And since robins spend much of their time foraging on lawns, refrain from using herbicides and pesticides, which can harm birds.
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| American Robin... in a seasonally appropriate autumn color palette! CA |
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