The Wonder of Robins in the Spring

I am fascinated by robins. I always know Spring is finally here when the first robins start to appear. There is no greater time for reflection than in the morning, with a cup of coffee, listening to the robins sing. Did you know that only the male robin sings? I have been reading a lot about the American robin and there are many interesting facts I thought I would share in this blog.


Here is a close up of the 3 newborn chicks waiting for Mom to bring lunch.

• The American robin is in the thrush family and bears its name from early English settlers. The robin reminded them of a European robin even though the two species of birds are not related.
• In addition to earthworms and meal worms, a robin's diet includes grasshoppers, beetles, caterpillars, spiders, centipedes, fruit, and berries.

  

  A broken robin's egg I found in the grass.

  
• American robins cannot digest birdseed.
• I have always thought that the female birds get the "short end of the stick" when it comes to appearance, and the robins are no exception. The male robin has a beautiful rust or burnt orange colored breast while the female is pale and washed out in color. The female robin is less noticeable in order to camouflage herself while tending to her young in the nest. If you see a spotted colored breast on the robin it's usually an adolescent.
• Female robins build the nest from the inside out. It can take 5 or 6 days to complete. Once the nest is formed, soft mud is used to make it sturdy. The finished nest is usually 6-8 inches across and 3-6 inches high. Throughout winter, I fill an empty onion sack with dryer lint, pet hair, scraps of yarn, and shredded paper. I hang it from a tree limb in the Spring for all of the birds to use for building a nest.
• Robins love water! I have 4 birdbaths and 2 garden fountains around my yard and each one needs to be filled 2 or 3 times a day when the temperature is warm. There can be as many as six robins waiting their turn to make a splash...reminiscent of when my son was small; how he loved to splash the water when he took a bath. 
• Robins love freshly mowed grass. Take the time to sit and enjoy the view after you've finished mowing the lawn. It's like the old adage "stopping to smell the roses." The amount of robins searching for worms on the lawn seems to triple when the grass is freshly cut. I always enjoy watching the robins tug and tug for that worm.

  

  Male robin in my yard

• Why are robin's eggs blue? The blue egg color is caused by pigments in the females’ oviduct and by the nest materials or soil where the eggs are laid. Scientists still say that the blue color is somewhat of a mystery but birds that lay their eggs in open nests tend to be camouflaged—the egg colors match their background or surroundings to better conceal them.
• During courtship, the male robin feeds the female. They also approach each other and touch widely opened bills almost resembling a kiss. The male robin also sings for the female before mating.
• Female robins can have up to 3 broods a year. The incubation period typically lasts 10 to 14 days. The chicks stay in the nest for another 14 days. Nestlings are pink with little tufts of feathers after they hatch. Fledglings become independent and start flying in 4 weeks.
• Robins can fly 20-36 mph, they typically fly at a faster speed when migrating.
  

  

  In my lilac bush, a mother and 3
  babies sit happily in the nest.
  I have been watching them for awhile...
  Mom has gotten used to me
  getting close to them.

• If you sleep with the windows open, you might be awakened by the songs of the robin. They are one of the first birds to begin singing in the morning and the last to be heard at night. Robins have a clear cheery sound with a number of songs and calls. The songs might sound like "cheerily...cheer up...cheer up...cheerily...cheer up."
• Robins are "hoppers." They can spring forward in a hop from branch to branch and on the ground. Robins are one of the few species that do both! Robins tend to hop when grass is too high to see through. Sometimes they seem to hop just because they feel like it. Robins have sturdy legs with muscles designed for running or hopping. This allows them to get away from predators or quickly cover open ground while hunting.
• Robins see worms, not hear them. At times, the robin will cock its head to the side toward the ground. It looks a bit like he's listening for the worms crawling under the ground, but really he's watching the ground for the tiny movements that would indicate a worm is traveling close to the surface. When foraging on the ground, the American Robin runs a few steps, then stops abruptly.
• The average lifespan of the American robin is 2-6 years. There has been documentation of a robin living up to 14 years too!
• American Robins have monocular vision, meaning their eyes are situated on the sides of their head. As they look at an object, they can only see it with one eye at a time.
• If a young robin accidentally falls out of the nest, it is okay to gently place the chick back. It is a myth that the parent birds abandon their young if touched by humans.
• I thought the primary diet of the robin was worms, but worms only make up 40% of their diet. Fruit and berries make up 60% of the robin's diet and is generally eaten later in the day. A robin can eat up to 14 feet of worms a day!

The American robin is such a beautiful and cheerful bird. Next time you are relaxing outside or enjoying that morning cup of coffee listen for the musical song of the American robin. It is such a familiar sound of spring. The whistles are so clear and happy that it's a wonderful way to start and end the day. Don't forget to clean and fill the birdbaths regularly and please share all of these interesting facts with your family. Maybe even go on a family walk to see how many robins are spotted or listen for their cheerful songs. Happy Spring!