Native Species Profile - American Robin

American Robin - note brown head and wings, orange chest, and white lower belly

One of the quintessential birds of North America is the American Robin (Turdus migratorius).  This species can be found from the Arctic Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico, from the Atlantic to the Pacific and everywhere in between.  This bird is home in a wide range of habitats from tundra to forest, from urban and suburban areas to farm fields, from coastal plains to mountains.  It is reasonable to think that you could find an American Robin in every US state except Hawaii, in every Canadian province and territory, and in the winter throughout much of Mexico.  The American Robin is the official state bird of Connecticut, Michigan, and Wisconsin.  

The American Robin is named after an unrelated European species.

The American Robin is so common that many field guides use it as a reference size - other birds are often listed as "robin sized".  A large songbird in the Thrush Family, American Robins measure approximately 10 inches long and have a wingspan of 14 -17 inches.  Robins are easily identified by their distinctive coloration.  Robins have grey-brown heads, backs, wings, and tails.  Males often have a darker head than females.  Both sexes have a white ring around their eyes, a streaked throat, and yellow beak.  Their chest and belly are orange or reddish-orange.  Their lower belly and the base of the tail are white.  Young birds often have a streaked or spotted chest and belly.

Overwintering American Robins feed on fruit and berries.

American Robins are migratory.  The arrival of American Robins is often interpreted as a sign of spring.  However, this is only part of the story.  Robins from Alaska, Canada, and the northern United States do tend to migrate south for the winter, but a certain percentage of Robins will choose to remain in northern states throughout the winter months.  Robins are able to do this because of their omnivorous diet.  During the warmer months of the year, their diet consists of large numbers of insects, worms, snails, and other invertebrates supplemented by berries and other fruit.  They are opportunistic feeders; I have personally watched Robins consume large numbers of newly metamorphosed American Toads.  Robins that overwinter in northern states switch to a diet composed almost entirely of fruit - especially important are berries that are high in protein such as those of Red-Osier, Silky, and Grey Dogwood.

Three to five eggs is a typical brood size

American Robins typically reproduce in the spring.  Nesta are made in trees and shrubs or on buildings;  Robins will use nesting shelves placed under the eaves of houses.  Robin nests are tightly formed cups made of small twigs, grass, roots, and occasionally man-made materials such as paper.  The nests are plastered together with mud and lined with fine grasses and moss.  Females normally lay three to five sky-blue or blue-green eggs.  The eggs take approximately two weeks to hatch and the young remain in the nest for another two weeks.  American Robins will sometimes raise as many as three broods in a single year.

A young Robin peaks over the edge of a nest

Basic Information

American Robin

Turdus migratorius

Size: 10" long

         14-17" wingspan

Habitat: fields, lawns, parks, open areas, woodlands,

Eats: insects, worms, snails, other invertebrates, berries, other fruit

Nest: in trees and shrubs, on building and other structures; a cup made of twigs, grass, moss, roots, and mud; 6-8" across and 3-6" high