American Robin Sings a Spring Song
Cheerily cheer-up cheerio
© 2009 R. Pera
At long last, the cold winter days are a memory and the snow has melted from the ground. Once again I can look outside to see spring green my gardens. One of the sure signs of the arrival of spring is the return of the Turdus migratorius, better known as the American robin. While some of these cheery birds stay on Camano Island year round, most migrate south to California and Mexico for the winter, returning to Washington in late March.
The omnipresent American robin, a member of the thrush family, is distinctive with its rufous-orange breast, blackish head, white eye crescents, and yellow bill. The white throat with black streaks is quite noticeable, as is the white belly. They are 8 to 11 inches long, with a wingspan of 12 to 16 inches. They weigh less than a CD in a plastic case, about 2 ½ to 3 ounces. They have long muscular legs, which allows them to evade predators and effectively cover large open ground when foraging. Sexual dimorphism is minimal, the female maybe paler, most noticeably in the head.
This migratory songbird is found throughout the United States and Canada. They can be seen in woodland, orchards, gardens, lawns and fields. They prefer open areas and short grass for foraging, with trees and shrubs nearby for roosting and nesting.
When you see a robin scurrying across the lawn suddenly stop and cock its head, do you wonder if the robin is looking, listening, or feeling for worms and invertebrates? Actually the robin finds food by watching for movement. The robin sees prey, pounces and pulls it up, gobbles it down, then continues the hunt. This running and stopping behavior is a distinctive characteristic of the American robin. The diet consists of 60% fruits and berries, and 40% worms, caterpillars, grasshoppers, beetle grubs, and flying insects. This percentage may change with the availability of food throughout the year. Always vigilant when feeding, they may forage in loose flocks so as to watch other robins for reaction to predators and food sources.
American robins start to breed shortly after they return to their northern summer range. The breeding season goes from April through July; a pair may have up to three broods during this time. However, only 40% of nests successfully produce young birds. Robins form a pair bond for breeding and raising their young. The female builds the nest, which consists of long course grasses, twigs, string, paper and feathers. She lines the center of the nest with mud and on top of the mud she adds fine grass and other soft materials. A new nest is built for each brood. The first nest is generally built in an evergreen tree or shrub, with later nests constructed in deciduous trees and shrubs.
Three to five eggs are laid in each clutch and are incubated by the female. There is a fourteen-day incubation period before the eggs hatch. The babies leave the nest about two weeks after hatching. After leaving the nest, the young birds follow their parents along the ground begging for food by chirping. Two weeks after fledging, the young are capable of sustained flight. The young robins stay in the general area of their nest for the first four months of their lives. In the fall they join mixed flocks when it is time to migrate south for the winter. When they are migrating they may fly from 20-36 m.p.h.
It is estimated that only 25% of young robins survive their first year. The average life span of the American robin is about two years. The entire population turns over every six years on an average.
American robins are fierce defenders of their territories. When a predator, say a great horned owl, enters their area robins sound the alarm with chirping and chucking sounds. This warning call brings other robins to band together to drive a predator away.
The Tlingit people of the Pacific Northwest tell a story about how this little robin is a culture hero created by Raven to please people with its beautiful, complex song. So the next time you hear this robin take a moment to enjoy its wonderful cheerily carol.
Written by Sheila Pera
Beach Watcher Class 2003
All photos on this page and their enlargements are @2009 by R. Pera
Published April 2009