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American robin in the UK? (1 Viewer)

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0beron

Member
Good morning. I live in Bedfordshire in the UK and for the last two weeks there has been an unusual robin in my garden. When he (I'll assume it's a male) first arrived he looked as though he had just gone ten rounds with Mike Tyson, he was so dishevelled. After a fortnight of enjoying the hospitality of my garden, meal worms etc. he looks much better. I remarked on his appearance to my wife. Much larger than any other robin I have ever seen, a white ring around his eye and a very orange-coloured breast. Also, his bill seemed different.
Today, I read in the newspaper that an American robin (since killed by a hawk) was seen in Grimsby, north-east of here. When I saw the photograph of the bird, I noticed that he resembled the one in our garden.
I am ready with my camera this morning but strangely the robin hasn't shown up. I just hope he also hasn't met his demise, as we have had a Kestrel in the area for the past couple of days.
One thing that does make me a little dubious is that the report this morning said that American robins are about the size of a blackbird, whereas ours is more like the size of a chaffinch.
Any comments welcome.
 
0beron, on behalf of admin and all the moderators, let me welcome you to Bird Forum.

I'm sure someone here will be able to help out, but a photo would be handy. Don't put that camera away!

We look forward to hearing more about the birding in your area.
 
0beron said:
Thanks for the reply, Simon. But are bramblings tame? This bird practically eats out of the hand, he is so brazen.
Click to expand...

Not normally no!

How about some kind of escaped cage bird then? As Diane says, a photo should be all that is needed to clinch it ;)

In the meantime, can you describe the shape and/or general behavior of the bird? You say it is about the size of a chaffinch, are there any other similarities you have noticed? (to any familiar bird)
 
Morning Oberon,
I had a similar experience about a month ago,i'm 99% sure the bird i saw was an Americn robin.I sent the info to a local records group but was met with a rather frosty response as i too did not get a picture.It would have been a first in our area, and as i reported i was pretty new to birding i was basically disbelieved.
Get a picture if you can.
 
Thanks for the welcome, friends. I could kick myself, now, for not taking a picture when I had the opportunity, but I honestly thought it was just an odd-looking European robin until is saw the report in the paper. The rarest bird I have seen here so far is a hobby.
What concerns me about the 'robin' is that some time ago, my wife saw a kestrel kill a pigeon in my next-door neighbours garden. Still no sign of my friend, and it's now coming up to eleven am. Worrying!
 
Simon. Apologies. Just noticed your second post. Believe me, I am just waiting for the bird to turn up again, and you shall have your picture! As for appearance, as I said in my opening post, much larger and rotund than any robin I have ever seen, but so much like a robin that I was in no doubt that that is what it was. The breast appeared a more orange-red than normal The most noticeable point was the white eye-ring. Never seen it before, and I thought it was some sort of mini albino effect.
Extremely bold, and, until this morning, put in an appearance every time we rattled the glass feeding dish on the patio.
Hope this helps.
 
0beron said:
Simon. Apologies. Just noticed your second post. Believe me, I am just waiting for the bird to turn up again, and you shall have your picture! As for appearance, as I said in my opening post, much larger and rotund than any robin I have ever seen, but so much like a robin that I was in no doubt that that is what it was. The breast appeared a more orange-red than normal The most noticeable point was the white eye-ring. Never seen it before, and I thought it was some sort of mini albino effect.
Extremely bold, and, until this morning, put in an appearance every time we rattled the glass feeding dish on the patio.
Hope this helps.
Click to expand...

No need to apologise! ;)

It may be that it is/was a "funny" European Robin (possibly a migrant from the continent) but what threw me was you saying that it resembled the photo of the american Robin in the Newspapers, which made me think of Brambling (dark head, orange not extending to "face" and the pale eye-ring.) but a Brambling doesn't really "carry" itself the way a Robin does.
 
The size is probably the main thing to go on then - it doesn't sound as if it can be an American Robin if it's the size of a Chaffinch.

How did the bill differ from our Robin?
 
Diane. The bill appears slimmer than usual. Or maybe that is the impression with the bird being so large.
I have a feeling he is no longer around. Now almost mid-day, and still no sign. My wife keeps insisting he'll be back. I'm not so sure. I'll know better in future. Take a picture while you can.
 
0beron said:
Diane. The bill appears slimmer than usual. Or maybe that is the impression with the bird being so large.
I have a feeling he is no longer around. Now almost mid-day, and still no sign. My wife keeps insisting he'll be back. I'm not so sure. I'll know better in future. Take a picture while you can.
Click to expand...

Or have a good look at all the features so that you're able to give a good description.

He may be back - just keep your eyes on that garden! Don't leave the house! ;)
 
Well, seems like he's gone. I have seen this picture of an American robin at http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/id/framlst/photo/h7610pi.jpg and this is what we had in the garden. The one feature that stands out is the white eye-ring. If there is no other British bird with this feature, coupled with the European robin characteristics, then this is what we had. I shall never forgive myself for not taking a photograph, but as a newcomer to bird-watching I had really no idea that this was anything but a slightly larger and different type of normal robin.
Anyway, he's gone now, but he did touch our lives, and he was a lovely, friendly chap.
My wife has spent hours in the garden hoping that he might still be around, but in vain.
Good luck to him!
 
Thanks for the update, Oberon. Looks like you did have a rarity in your garden after all then, if it was like the photo. Wonder where he is now.
 
0beron said:
Well, seems like he's gone. I have seen this picture of an American robin at http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/id/framlst/photo/h7610pi.jpg and this is what we had in the garden. The one feature that stands out is the white eye-ring. If there is no other British bird with this feature, coupled with the European robin characteristics, then this is what we had. I shall never forgive myself for not taking a photograph, but as a newcomer to bird-watching I had really no idea that this was anything but a slightly larger and different type of normal robin.
Anyway, he's gone now, but he did touch our lives, and he was a lovely, friendly chap.
My wife has spent hours in the garden hoping that he might still be around, but in vain.
Good luck to him!
Click to expand...

The only thing that makes me unsure, and no disrespect intended Oberon, is that an American robin really looks so unlike a european robin, I would be really surprised if someone thought: 'Oh look at that unusual robin in my garden.'
Are you sure it wasn't an escapee?
Here's hoping that it will make a return and allow you to photograph it and prove my scepticism wrong!
James
 
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