American Robin

Turdus migratorius

File:American Robin.jpg

Photo by Kite

Description

The American Robin is 25–28 cm (10–11 in) long. It weighs about 77 g (2.7 oz). It has gray upperparts and head, and orange underparts, usually brighter in the male. There are seven sub-species, but only T. m. confinus in the southwest is particularly distinctive, with pale gray-brown underparts.

During the breeding season, the adult males grow distinctive black feathers on their heads; after the breeding season they lose this eye-catching plumage.

As with many migratory birds, the males return to the summer breeding grounds before the females and compete with each other for nesting sites. The females then select mates based on the males' songs, plumage, and territory quality. The females build the nest and lay three or four blue eggs in the lined cup. Incubation, almost entirely by the female is 11-14 days to hatching, with another 15–16 days to fledging. Two broods in a season are common. The adult male looks after the fledged chicks while female incubates her second clutch. Some people enjoy the Robin's presence, and want to protect the chicks; they do this by building nesting shelves for the Robin's use. Bird banders found that only 25% of young robins survive the first year.

The American Robin's habitat is all sorts of woodland and more open farmland and urban areas. Food is the typical thrush mixture consisting largely of insects and earthworms. Robins are also fond of some berries, including those of the black cherry tree; they will fly in especially to feed on them during the period when they ripen.

This bird breeds throughout Canada and the United States. While Robins occasionally overwinter in the northern part of the United States and southern Canada, most winter in the southern parts of the breeding range and beyond, from the southern U.S.A. to Guatemala. Most depart south by the end of August and begin to return north in February and March. (Exact dates vary with latitude and climate.)

This species is a very rare vagrant to western Europe. In autumn 2003, migration was displaced eastwards leading to massive movements through the eastern USA. Presumably this is what led to no fewer than three American Robins being found in Great Britain, with two attempting to overwinter in 2003–2004

Identification

The American Robin is 25–28 cm (10–11 in) long. It weighs about 77 g (2.7 oz). It has gray upperparts and head, and orange underparts, usually brighter in the male. There are seven sub-species, but only T. m. confinus in the southwest is particularly distinctive, with pale gray-brown underparts.

During the breeding season, the adult males grow distinctive black feathers on their heads; after the breeding season they lose this eye-catching plumage.

Bird of North America.Breeds over most of North America, in the east as far as Labrador and Newfoundland.

Northern birds are migratory leaving breeding areas in August-September and eastern birds winter from Newfoundland southwards, returning late March-mid May.

In the Western Palearctic recorded in Iceland (four records) and the British Isles, France and Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Czechoslovakia and Austria, also recently in Spain.

Most frequently seen in Britain and Ireland (>30) mostly September-February with occasional records April-June. The records are scattered from Shetland to Scilly but there is a distinct bias towards the Northen Isles and the south-west.

Habitat Open woodland and clearings in forest, farmland with copses and hedgerows, often in lowlands and frequently near water. In many areas has become an urban bird breeding in town parks and gardens.

External Links

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