[maelef]

Got a new visiter in my yard today that i haven't been able to i.d. It is similar to a varied thrush that comes now and then. This one has lighter coloring then the thrush, kind of a greyish head, back and wings with either a very pale orange or tannish breast. It lacks the v shapped breast band of the thrush also. Also doesn't have the eye stripe of thrush, tho it did appear to have a bit of white around the top perimeter of the eyes, but only a tad. Sorry for lack of pic, but don't have a camera, and didn't get a really good view of him.

Can anybody shed some light on this for me? I'm really a newbie on all this, so excuse my lack of good details for you.

[affe22]

kind of sounds like an immature robin to me

[maelef]

Isn't kinda early for an imature robin? Besides, i thought those had a yellowish beak? Also, this one was about the size of the thrush, just a very tad smaller.

[AlexC]

No, not an immature American Robin, first of all because it's way too early, and second of all because immature robins are heavily spotted on the breast and throat. Sounds to me just like your run of the mill adult American Robin - same family as thrushes. Yellow beak also jizzes w/ Am. Rob.

[Katy Penland]

Agree with Alex and would add that it sounds like a female adult American Robin, who is much lighter than the adult male counterpart. Gray upperparts are also much lighter but it's the breast/belly underside that can be faintly orangey to almost gray-white in appearance. I've had females in our yard that at first glance I thought were Townsend's Solitaires, they had so little orange on the underside!

[buckskin hawk]

Robin's songs are pretty easy. They also have that distinctive hop hop hop wait wait wait hop hop hop. They are feeling with their feet for the movement of worms,etc.

[maelef]

Originally Posted by buckskin hawk

Robin's songs are pretty easy. They also have that distinctive hop hop hop wait wait wait hop hop hop. They are feeling with their feet for the movement of worms,etc.

That must be it then. I did notice him kinda "digging" in th dirt by doing that hopping motion like the towhee does. (he found a worm) Cool, first robin at my feeders, will have to find something to keep his tummy happy.

[Katy Penland]

The best robin attractant is having fresh, clean water available. They love water not just for drinking but for bathing. I've had 'em jump in and bathe as soon as I'd chip enough ice off the pond so they could flap around.

[Timberdoodler]

Ah....the bird that got me birding.

You know, as common and popular as these birds are, they are still one of my top 10 favorite songsters.

I have seen VERY pale females that are pretty creamy looking. I've also seen females that were almost as dark as the males. So, it's pretty variable. If it is a robin, you should have little problem getting a picture of it. I think a picture would help a lot.

[maelef]

I do have a bird bath for them. It's a little one attached to the railing on my porch. The birds come to drink from it all the time, but have only seen a few finches actually bathe in it. Is it perhaps to close to the house?

[birdpotter]

Interesting enough (to me at least), there were a couple of pale Robins roosting for the evening over at my husband's school today.
I went to get a look at the dozens of Cedar Waxwings he had been ranting about, but only found these two Robins. But their breast color was definitely not as intense as I had seen it before...part light, part them, I suppose.

Would the temp have anything to do with them not bathing?
But where you are, it doesn't get quite that cold does it?
Or maybe the depth?

[Katy Penland]

Originally Posted by maelef

I do have a bird bath for them. It's a little one attached to the railing on my porch. The birds come to drink from it all the time, but have only seen a few finches actually bathe in it. Is it perhaps to close to the house?

Might be. While robins aren't particularly spooky (at least they aren't here), even with the water 20' from the house, they do give me the eye if they see me moving inside the windows and then will bathe after a couple minutes of watching me and the rest of the yard. Might try moving your birdbath farther away but still close enough to cover they can hide quickly if needed. If you do move it, don't worry if its usage slacks off for a day or so. They just need to get used to it in its new location.

[affe22]

Originally Posted by overworkedirish

No, not an immature American Robin, first of all because it's way too early, and second of all because immature robins are heavily spotted on the breast and throat. Sounds to me just like your run of the mill adult American Robin - same family as thrushes. Yellow beak also jizzes w/ Am. Rob.

Silly me. I meant female not immature. I could see it out my window while posting and should've thought twice while writing. Robins are a type of thrush by the way.