American Robin

Seeing your first American Robin hopping on the lawn is always a sure sign spring is on it's way!

Most robins fly south to the Gulf States and Mexico, but a few stay the winter in Minnesota. We are watching for the first robin to return from the south.

Returning migratory robins are more active than the lone robins who have been hanging quietly around all winter. They also tend to sing more and let their presence be known as they begin to establish a territory.

photo from Pinkmoose Birding

American Robins Have Returned to . . .
School Location Date Observer Comments
Winnebago Winnebago March 8 . We spied a robin on March 8th here in Winnebago.
Gustavus College St. Peter March 16 Jim Gilbert .
Triton Dodge Center March 13 Ashton Fate, Laura Henslin, Matt Deml and Justin Neubauer Our class recorded a Robin yesterday 3-13-03 in Dodge County. We had three different students come to school today with the same information. Things are warming up in southeastern Mn these days as spring is happening. D. Midthun
Belle Plaine Belle Plaine March 15 . It was so warm here this weekend that people were wearing shorts. If we had hit 50's in the summer, we would have been looking for sweatshirts.
St. Mary's Morris March 16 Susan Hennen S. Hennen saw the robins in her yard near Crystal Lake . They looked very healthy and were on the grassy areas hunting for food.
Central East Grand Forks March 21 Brittany C On Friday, March 21 (1st day of Spring) Brittany C reported seeing 5 robins in a group. They were "playing in the water." Today, March 25, I heard a robin in my backyard. The weather has been in the 50's and 60's this past weekend.
North Shore Duluth March 19 Cason Jackson We spotted our first robin on Wednesday, March 19. It was spotted by Cason Jackson, a 6th grader, at 8:40am. It was singing in a tree on the side of the road.
Mary MacDonald Silver Bay March 19 Erika Curry and Christine Greer Erika Curry and Christine Greer of Mrs. Lewis's 3rd grade class each spotted a robin on Wednesday, March 19. I sure hope they brought along their snowshoes!
Wolf Ridge Finland March 25 Paul Massnick A robin was seen near the west dorm, hopping from branch to brach on one of the trees.
Sawtooth Grand Marais March 15 . Several kids saw a robin on March 15th. We didn't hear one until March 16th. Today is March 24th and almost 20 kids have seen a robin so far. We had earlier reports, but they may have overwintered.

Why are returning American Robins a sign of spring?
When Robins return, they are following their food north. While they can survive for a while on sumac and virginia creeper berries, or seeds left over from last fall, they soon begin looking for insects. The good news is that as the ground thaws, insects and earthworms, which are favorite foods for the Robin, become active again. When the Robins return, we can expect to see more bugs and worms, and the arrival of spring flowers and plants.

General description
The American Robin is a medium sized bird of about 10 inches from beak to tail. Robins are grey-brown backed with an orange breast and yellow beak. Males are brighter colored than females. The scientific name for the American Robin is Turdus migratorius, which means "wanderer." Robins are thrushes, closely related to bluebirds, wrens, flycatchers, and nightingales. Thrushes are known for their singing and for eating a variety of fruits and insects.

Range
All of North America and Mexico. Robins like forest edges, gardens, parks because they have good food sources next to good nesting sites.

Cool Facts
We tend to see lots of robins arriving soon after the first spring rain or after a big snow melt. Studies have shown that robins will arrive when the average daily temperature is about 37F.

Why care about birds?
We know that birds play an important role in the ecosystem. They pollinate plants, spread seeds, eat insects, and serve as an important link in the food web. Without birds, we might have many less plants and many more insects on the planet.

Birds give us a great window into the health of our planet. One hundred fifty-five different kinds of birds come to Minnesota in the summer to breed and raise their young, more than any other state in the USA. After raising their young, most fly south to spend the winter in warmer habitats in the tropical rain forests of Central and South America, or fly to the southern US. This means they need healthy forests, grasslands, lakes, and rivers in all parts of the Americas.

If we pay attention to bird diversity and populations, we can better measure and predict our impact on the natural world, and hopefully, make changes in how we live to help the planet stay healthy!

Birds at Wolf Ridge
You can study more about the Robin and other birds in the Wolf Ridge Birds class. You will look at feathers through a microscope, discover how wings keep a bird in the air, compare bird bones with those of other animals, see why eggs are so strong, and sharpen your observation skills as you hike and look for birds living at Wolf Ridge. Depending on the season, you might also feed birds from your hand at "Chickadee Landing" in winter, witness hawks soaring above the ridge in fall, release a banded bird, or visit with our live raptors.

More About Robins on the Web
Lots of fun stuff about Robins. Songs, current migration maps, ask the expert, FAQs . . . If you only visit one site to learn more about Robins, go here!
Open from March 14 - 28. Ask Duluth's Laura Erickson your Robin questions.
Listen and learn the many ways Robins communicate.
Read about the natural history of robins and other birds.
Live views into the nests of several birds once they start nesting. (Not robins, but cool!)
On this site you can find maps and information about what birds other folks around the country are seeing, or you can add your own bird information.