American Robin

 American Robin 

Turdus migratorius

American Robin foraging on disturbed soil, Wilmington March 2019

The American Robin is one of seven species of thrushes that occur in the Carolinas and with four of them occurring as breeders in North or South Carolina. The Robin is the only member of the Turdus genus which is primarily Old-World family of thrushes that includes the Fieldfare, Eurasian Redwing, Eurasian Blackbird, Song Thrush, although there are a few Latin American examples. This is our largest thrush and despite the common name, this bird is not related to the Eurasian Robin "Robin Redbreast" familiar in the English Isles, or Continental Europe and featured on many cards, books, paintings, vases, or even packages of bird food. In North America, the Robin is one of the most recongizable birds as well as among the most abundant species alongside the Red Winged Blackbird (also nicknamed the Redwing), Indigo Bunting, Goldfinch, and Common Starling among others. In the Cape Fear Region, Robins are mostly known as winter transients and localized breeders and are not nearly as common as they are in places further inland or north. Still, most gardens should host American Robins at some point of the year and winter and early spring can yield flocks that number into the thousands or in some areas even higher. In general, the Robin is the most commonly encountered of the thrushes although Eastern Bluebirds are usually more abundant from late spring through autumn. 

Description and Ecology

Female in January 2010, Wilmington NC

Male in January 2010, Wilmington NC

The American Robin is rather large songbird that has a plump appearance, long legs, and a fairly long bill meant for probing soil (not as long as the Starling). This is our largest thrush and its European counterpart, the Fieldfare is  almost identical in shape, size, and form with a different plumage. This bird is virtually unmistakable with adults being dark grey or sometimes black on the back, wings, and head with an orange, red, or rust colored underside and some regional variation

Plumage: Adult males are usually black, grey, or even silver on the back and wings, with a dark head, white on the face, and red or orange underside. They also have white under the tail and yellowish beaks. Females are paler overall with more white  on the face, while juveniles have  spotted bodies. The closest thing that looks like a Robin is the Eastern Bluebird which is way smaller and blue on the back.

Size: Length 25-28cm (9.8-11"), Wingspan 42-45cm (16.5-18"), This size range is commonly referred to as "Robin-sized" in North America to described medium-sized land birds. 

Song: American Robins sing a fluting series of whistles or melodic phrases that vary by region or population or even individuals. The song is usually syllabic, repetitive, and has a back and forth pattern. I often remember it as "Churry Up, Churry Wee, Elu-weee". The song may end with a high trill or gurgling series (similar to what a Wood Thrush or Hermit Thrush might make). Males primarily give this song during the nesting season but flocks may sing in unison during migration, especially in January and February. Listen to Songs at Cornell All About Birds

Calls: Robins have a variety of calls that are often loud and difficult to ignore. Their  main calls include a loud chuckle or laughing sound, various clucks, and a descending trill that may be given any time of year. Their flight call is high and is comparable to a Treecreeper or Cedar Waxwing, while their warning call is a piercing  "Seeeeesse" call not unlike a titmouse, with the latter being used to signal the presence of Accipiter sparrowhawks or falcons (like a Cooper's Hawk, Peregrine, or Goshawk). Listen to Calls at Cornell All About Birds

Range: American Robins occur across  North America breeding as far as Alaska and the Tundra regions of Canada south into Mexico and even into Central America. They are among the most widespread birds in North America and are highly migratory. In general they are summer residents in the north, and winter resident further south, although they can be seen in any season in much of  the United States. Populations will replace each other, meaning that the winter Robins are not the same birds as the ones that nest. Robins occasionally stray into Greenland, Iceland and Europe where they mix with Fieldfares, while the opposite is true for the Fieldfare.  

In the Carolinas: American Robins are listed as year-round residents and are seen in all counties of the Carolinas. They are generally common with population peaks during the summer, and again in the winter (they are uncommon in the autumn). In the Cape Fear Region, American Robins are primarily winter residents and are most abundant from November to April, while they are uncommon as breeders, and quite rare from September to Mid-October. 

Habitat: American Robins can be found in virtually any habitat with trees, copses or hedgerows, and open understory or grassy areas. In the breeding season, Robins reside mostly in open woodlands with tall trees, riparian groves, or near hedgerows, and wooded gardens, although in other regions they are right at home in cities, towns, and open suburban neighborhoods. In the winter, flocks roost in woodlands, hedges, or evergreens, and congregate near fruit-bearing trees or in open fields (like pastures or sports fields) with Starlings, blackbirds, and Meadowlarks. 

Breeding: American Robins breed from late March to July with 1-2 broods (sometimes three) raisd per season. They mostly breed in the interior regions of the Carolinas (especially from Raleigh or Fayetteville westward), and choose small or large trees as nest sites. In our region, they are more likely to nest in stands of pines, juniper, or deciduous trees, or in hedgerows about 3-15m (10-50ft) above the ground. Robins occasionally nest on the ground in tall grass or use nesting shelves, eaves, rafters, and hanging planters as nest sites. They may nest singly or in loose colonies containing multiple pairs and are known to associate with Eastern Kingbirds, Orchard or Baltimore Orioles, Cardinals, or in more wooded settings Brown Thrashers, and Wood Thrushes.

Nest: Robins make a tightly woven cup of grass, pine straw, and roots that is lined on the inside with mud or occasionally cow dung. The presence of mud is a good way to distinguish a robin nest from another similar nest such as a Wood Thrush, or Grey Catbird, while Mockingbirds always use sticks and twigs. The nest may be placed on a crotch or forking branch of a tree or large shrub, amongst vines or tangles, or on a ledge. They lay 3-6 (usually 4) blue eggs and the nesting cycle takes around 27 days. 

Diet: American Robins feed on a mixture of invertebrates and fruits as well as vertebrates on rare occasions. Their preferred prey includes garden snails, earthworms, crickets, and beetle grubs found in grassy areas or amongst leaf litter or in damp soil. They use their bill to probe or dig in the soil or rake leaves, and can be quite opportunistic. They consume fruits throughout the year including cherries, mulberries, blueberries, and elderberries in the summer, hackberries, magnolia and dogwoods in the autumn, and hollies, privet, and cherry laurel in the winter. American Robins rarely come to bird tables or feeding stations but I have seen them take bread, raisins, fruits, mealworms, or shelled sunflower seeds during inclement weather. 

Status: Robins are still one of the most abundant birds in North America and according to the  Cornell Lab of Ornithology populations are stable or increasing. If this trend is true, American Robins may be one of the few birds in North America with increasing population as most others are declining, including the nonnative House Sparrow, or the seemingly prolific Red Winged Blackbird. American Robins are commonly preyed on by sparrowhawks (both Sharp Shinned and Cooper's), Merlin or Peregrines, and domestic cats, while snakes, tree squirrels, rats, raccoons, crows, jays, and even grackles may eat their eggs or young. Grey Catbirds, and Northern Mockingbirds might even destroy the eggs of other songbirds including Robins. Human impacts include pesticide use on lawns (which are favored feeding habitat by American Robins), overuse of nonnative plants in gardens which reduce insects, and collisions with towers, windows, and vehicles. Despite this Robins do quite well in garden settings, urban areas, and further inland or north, suburbia.

Learn More at Cornell Lab of Ornithology All About Birds

Notes

American Robin in Millennial Park in Chicago IL, June 2019

Behavior: American Robins are generally terrestrial birds that feed mostly on the ground and are often seen running on lawns, shortgrass meadows, or in the understories of deciduous or mixed forests. They probe the soil or mud with their beak and often look for worms, snails, and insects. These birds are quite sociable and will feed in loose groups and congregate in fields, pastures, or muddy fields. In the winter, they can form flocks that number into the tens of thousands, and  include  Starlings, Red Winged Blackbirds, Common Grackles, or Eastern Meadowlarks, as well as Cedar Waxwings depending on the setting. They also mix with Killdeers, other plovers, Horned Larks, and  Pipits in large open areas or cropland. They nest in loose colonies, associate with other countryside or woodland species, and rarely get into territorial conflicts once their breeding ranges are established. In general, Robins are skittish birds that will flush or run away when approach and are weary of aerial predators, although they can also become fearless of people. They defend their nests from potential predators by attacking them with their beaks or feet, making loud noises, and will occasionally attack people (though not  as much as Mockingbirds, Thrashers or Catbirds). 

Singing Patterns: American Robins and many of our thrushes as well as Brown Thrashers sing during the predawn and twilight hours. Robins and Wood Thrushes even have different songs during the daytime than they do at dusk or dawn. The birds usually sing an hour or two before daybreak to just after sunrise giving a fast fluted song alternated by a descending trill. During the day, their song is slower, but may transition into a continuous back and forth pattern during or after rainstorms, or when the birds are beginning to nest. They sing again just before sunset until an hour or two after dark with the more flute-like song given slowly. Another interesting aspect of Robins and maybe other thrushes is that males will sing more once the nesting cycles begin, quiet down during incubation, and become loud once the eggs hatch again. Most other birds stop singing entirely once the nesting cycle begins and even prolific singers like Cardinals, Catbirds, Indigo Buntings, and House Finches still quiet down when they are incubating or raising young. In the winter and spring, flocks of American Robins will sing in unison while they are migrating northward, filling the air with whistles, chatters, and trills. This is also unusual and  is also seen in Starlings, and many of the blackbird species. 

Migratory Patterns: Another interesting aspect of Robins is their movements during the nonbreeding season. Most books and stories we read about Robins said that the birds migrate south for the winter and return the next spring. Seeing a Robin is a common harbinger of spring in North  America including in our region. In reality, American Robins can be present in the US during any month of the year and in many areas in the south including the Carolina Coast, they are more abundant in the winter. Over the years, I have noticed that our breeding American Robins disappear from gardens or parks in August (around the same time the Orchard Orioles and Grey Catbirds leave and everyone becomes silent except the Mockingbirds). From August to Late October, Robin are hard to come by even as other migratory birds are passing through in large numbers. Then in November, large flocks of birds from northern regions fly high overhead and visit magnolias, hackberries, and other fruits that the vireos, other thrushes, and migrating Catbirds did not finish. Then from late December until March, the Robins show up in massive flocks to strip trees or hedges clean of fruits as the migrate northward. I noticed this same pattern with Common Starlings, Red Winged Blackbirds, Grackles, Cedar Waxwings, Goldfinches/Siskins, and Chipping Sparrows. I am not sure if the flocking birds are truly migrating north or are just nomadic winter residents, although I often notice the flocks flying in a northwesterly direction or due north from January to March.

Human Interactions: American Robins are very adaptable and have benefited greatly from human activities and land uses. Farmlands, residential areas, and timberlands provide suitable foraging and nesting habitats for the birds, while many of the shrubs used in our gardens and streetscapes provide fruits for Robins, Hermit Thrushes, and Carolina Wrens (and others) all winter. Robins have also developed an interesting ritual when it comes to foraging in human-altered landscapes. The birds are known to descend on lawns or sports fields just behind lawnmowers to feed on disturbed insects, while recently turned compost piles, or major tilling projects in the garden will expose snails and grubs for these birds. Robins appear to be at  home in suburban gardens in the Northeast, Midwest, and Interior East. When I was in Asheville, Raleigh, or up in Northwestern Ohio, Robins were everywhere, on lawns, atop mailboxes, and even just meters (feet) away from us in a park. In Wilmington and other areas in Eastern North or South Carolina, Mockingbirds seen to take their place with the same habits. Robins are not afraid to nest near people either and in other regions I have seen them nesting on doorframes, statues, low shrubs outside of businesses, and on window ledges of apartments in Boston or Chicago. Because of their relationship with us, and their familiarity, American Robins are a symbol of suburban life and are often the first bird that any child would learn about.

Garden Information 

American Robin amongst Wisteria in March 2020, Wilmington NC

American Robins are easy birds to host in your garden and in most areas of North America they are already present. This also applies in the Cape Fear Region, although Robins are harder to come by and usually stick to more forested settings rather than suburban lawns or the local soccer field. While lawns seem to be a favorite for Robins, Starlings, Mockingbirds, Chipping Sparrows or Pine Warblers, these birds still need places to nest, alternate food sources, and water to be happy in a garden. If their needs are met, you may host breeding Robins and get to see their nesting cycle, and listen to their songs all summer, while enjoying them again when their northern counterparts visit hollies or viburnums like "Snowbird Tourists" from New England or the Great Lakes. Robins have many benefits to gardeners including the ability to destroy garden snails and slugs that skeletonize your greens, and Japanese Beetle or June Beetle "Junebugs" grubs that can mess up lawns.  

Landscaping: In our area, Robins are more likely to nest in wooded gardens and neighborhoods or along edges of mature or second-growth forests. They also like copses, hedgerows, or windbreaks in rural areas or large parks. Most suburban and urban gardens can become havens for Robins if shrubs, small and large trees, and native plants are added  to the landscape. The birds generally nest in medium sized to large trees with sturdy branches or crotches. Longleaf, Shortleaf, or Loblolly Pines, Eastern Red Cedar, Atlantic (and Eastern) White Cedar, Arborvitae, and other conifers seem to be popular nest sites for Robins. They will also nest in most other trees or shrubs including oaks, elms, Crepe Myrtles, dogwoods, camellias, birches, and any hedge-forming shrub, though I would avoid weak trees like Bradford/Callary Pear, Glossy Privet, and other weak trees. Underplanting mature canopy trees with subcanopy and understory trees adds value to nesting birds. For foraging habitat, include areas of wildflowers, low-growing herbs, and woodland plants rather than just manicured lawns. Woodland areas with violets, bunchberry, carpet bugle, Partridgeberry, or in sunnier areas clover offer more food than a pure lawn. Tolerating weeds and reducing or eliminating pesticide use also makes lawns more useful for birds, consider using native grasses like Buffalo Grass, and St Augustine Grass as these are more resistant to pests, host native insects, and are better adapted to our hot climates. The third landscaping consideration is to provide fruit sources. Include plants such as Red Mulberry, Smooth/Stag-horn Sumac, Vaciniums (Blueberries) Black Cherry, or Muscatine Grape or Brambles (Blackberries and Raspberries) for summer fruits. Southern and Sweet Bay Magnolia, Hackberry, Persimmon, and Dogwood are by far the best autumn fruits for migratory songbirds, while American Holly, hawthorns, Carolina Cherry Laurel, and Roses are good standbys for winter fruits. Do not use buckthorns, privets, Tallow/Popcorn Tree, or Chinaberry as these are invasive plants that Robins and other birds could disperse across the landscape by eating the seeds. A garden with these features will not only host Robins but are also good for a number of other birds such as Cardinals, Carolina Wrens, migrating warblers, and the other thrush species. 

Nesting: Trees, shrubs, and vines are the best ways to net a pair or colony of American Robins during the summer. Hedgerows can provide nesting habitat for dozens of bird species and should be included in every garden or agricultural area. Rows of shrubs, trees, and vines can be used as property borders, to separate sections of the garden or provide backdrop for flowerbeds. The more naturalized the hedge is, the more attractive it is for birds. For Robins, the shrubs mentioned above are good choices, although the main limiting factor for larger garden birds is the availability of sturdy branches or tree crotches to support nests. You can prune hedges or trees in a way to promote denser growth and stronger branches or add more support by planting other trees and shrubs to provide protection from windstorms, predators, and add more options. This will be the subject of future articles about Coppicing, Pruning, and providing Hedgerows for birds. Robins are one of the few open nesting birds that will accept a manmade nest box. There are many plans available to build open-sided birdhouses, nesting shelves, or platforms for robins, starlings, swallows or martins, certain flycatchers, and other birds. Keeping cats indoors, and respecting nest sites by not pruning in the summer and observing from a safe distance can help garden birds be successful during the nesting season. Roses, brambles, and smilax are good deterrents for cats, raccoons, and foxes while hollies (especially English or Japanese Hollies) and hawthorns can be cat-proof barriers for birds if you have space for them. Like other birds, Robins will take offerings of grass, pine straw, pet or human hair, or short length yawn (so it will not entangle the birds) for nesting material. Wetting the ground can create a mud source for Robins, or Barn/Cliff Swallows. 

Bird Tables: Robins and most other thrushes (except Bluebirds and occasionally Hermit Thrushes) do not come to bird tables or feeders and rarely take handouts. In the winter, Robins may turn up singly or in flocks to feed on soft foods, mealworms, or even bread when snow or ice make fruits and prey harder to access. In almost all of these cases (about four times since I began feeding birds), the food was directly on the ground and the flock happened to descend on the ground. Grackles, Redwings and other blackbirds and occasionally Meadowlarks will descend on a bird table or ground feeder with corn, grain, or sunflower seeds and wipe the food clean. Robins may mix in with these birds on a cold day. I have read in various books including ones written by Jerry Baker, Sally Roth, and a number of garden or backyard bird authors that American Robins may eat suet, grape jelly, peanut butter, or other treats. Since many of these foods attract other birds like orioles, wrens, thrashers, and warblers, or other birds that ignore seeds, it is worth a try. 

Other Tips: A garden with a good mixture of trees, shrubs, herbaceous plants, and some open space will be an ideal habitat for Robins if you are lucky enough to live within their breeding range. Any garden with fruits are practically guaranteed attract robins during the winter months. Robins and other thrushes need little else to survive in a garden and you may soon see other wonderful species such as Orchard Orioles or Kingbirds in more open areas, or Wood Thrushes and Brown Thrashers in more forested areas. Water is often an overlooked commodity that every garden should provide. Robins will happily use any kind of birdbath or ground-level water feature that is safe and clean. Ordinary pedestal birdbaths will work for most garden birds as long as they have a rough surface and are kept clean. Place birdbaths away from shrubs to give birds a  chance to see predators but keep them close enough (about 5m or 15ft) from trees or cover to allow escape if a falcon or hawk stops by. Other tips for garden birds include using insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides less often or seeking organic options, and using plants that are adapted for your region. Pesticides can contaminate the food that birds and other animals eat and could kill nestlings, adults, or lead to bioaccumulation in birds of prey or mammalian predators. Prune shrubs, trees, and vines only during the autumn or winter to avoid accidentally destroying nests of songbirds.