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Robin - (Turdus migratorius)
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| We use our front yard mostly
to reach the car in the circular drive and to
cross the road to our rural mailbox. In early
June we noticed a large bird nest in the maple
tree near the front door.. We couldn't be
certain if the nest was an old abandoned one or
one newly constructed this spring. The last
time we had seen any activity in this tree, a
pileated woodpecker visited for several days in
early April. |
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Now and then we glanced
at the seemingly empty nest above us. On
June 15th we saw movement in the nest. After
watching patiently for several minutes, we
could see Mama Robin quietly and motionlessly
guarding her young. We took several photos of
her sitting on the edge of the nest. She
was waiting to see our next move.
We decided to let the family
have some privacy. A lot of feeding activity by
mom and dad went on for days in that tree.
Then we saw the babies looking very lost and
hungry, perch on our stack of logs about two
weeks later. We could easily recognize these
little guys, but unfortunately, most of the
photos were taken too far away to be really
clear.
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Me first! Me first!
Robins are associated with
many firsts. This distinctive bird is
the first one most children recognize and
remember. The plain, grayish black back
coupled with a bright red breast can be seen
everywhere- backyards, towns, farms and school
playgrounds.
The first bird to sing at
early dawn (sometimes by streetlights) will
probably be a robin. Both male and female
cheerily call all day until well after sunset.
"The early bird catches the
worm" must be a quote about the robin.
They are frequently pictured pulling and tugging
that early worm.
But the biggest first
associated with robins has to be that their
early "arrival " heralds the start of spring..
In truth, as insects and worms become less
available in autumn and winter, the robin
retreats from lawns and fields and settles
further into swampy, woody areas for a diet of
fruit and berries and insect eggs. As
spring weather warms the open lands, the robins
come out to again feast on insects and worms.
The erroneous assumption is that they have now
just arrived from the south. Either way, seeing
the first robin pulling worms from lawns, still
means the hopeful start of spring weather.
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November
28, 2008 - Following a pileated woodpecker into
the woods with the camera lens, Food Guy saw a
small group of four robins in one tree. (This
photo was the sharpest of the group.) So, our
robins did head further into our wooded area and
didn't migrate south. (If they're closer at
hand, does that mean spring is closer, as well?
--- Guess not.)
In spring and summer, our robins were not as
gregarious (instinctively seeking the company of
others ) as they appear to be in cold weather.
This is true of most birds, as there is no need
for competition over territory and mate
selection in fall and winter. |
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Size:
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Length: 10 in
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Weight: 2.7
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Wingspan: 17 in
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ID:
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Male: Black head with backs, neck,
wings and tail dark gray; broken white
eye ring; throat heavily streaked with
black; white underside; chest brick
-red; bill long and yellow; feet
anisodactylous (three toes point forward
and one toe points backward) and are
grayish brown
Female:Head mostly gray and chest is a
lighter orange than male
Juvenile: Ruffled appearance and heavily
spotted underparts with a rusty tinge
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Habitat:
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Lawns and gardens with trees and
shrubs, farmland and forests
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Diet:
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Forages on the ground for insects,
earthworms, and spiders; fruit and
berries eaten in winter; may
appear to be listening for prey by
cocking its head, but is really watching
for activity in the earth; may stamp the
ground hoping to encourage movement of
the worms
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Family Behavior:
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Mating Habits: Monogamous and
solitary; 2-3 broods per year; males
highly territorial during mating
season (even attacking own reflection);
might sing all night in spring
Local Breeding Period: Mid- May
Nests:Cup-shaped; made of grass, moss
and twigs or bark cemented with mud and
lined with fine grass or animal fur;
built mostly by female; located in fork
of branches or nesting shelf; first nest
built in early spring in coniferous
tree- second in deciduous tree after new
spring leaves are present
Eggs:3-7 blue egg; female incubates
12-14 days
Nestlings: Born altricial (helpless,
naked, eyes closed) and stay in nest
14-16 days; fed by both parents; male
often tends first brood while female
incubates second
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Social Activities:
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Present year-round in most areas of
the country; leaves nearby wooded areas
for backyards after winter so they
appear to be the first sign of spring;
live in large communal flocks after
mating
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Range:
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Breeding: Most of the continental US
and Canada
Winter: Most of the continental US
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Vocalization:
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Song is rich warble of cheerily,
cheer-up, cheerio; call is tyeep and tut
tut tut
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| Lifespan: |
Up to 13 years |
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