American Robins, Turdus migratorius. Some migrate. Some don’t migrate. Either way, during winter they are often seen searching for earthworms, grubs, fruits and berries. Here at my cabin it’s not unusual to see flocks of robins congregating in the frigid temperatures, eating and taking advantage of the birdbath I keep thawed with a water warmer. I don’t look to them as a sign of spring.
When I see flocks of Robins I look for their buddies Cedar Waxwings, Bombycilla cedrorum. They often go for the same fruits, berries and thawed water. It doesn’t matter to me what they represent or don’t. I love to have them around.
4 responses to “Robins a Sign of Spring?”
What kind of fruit or food to you put out for Robins? Just on the ground or platform feeder, somehow protected from the squirrels?
Hi Barry!
I don’t put anything out for the Robins. I leave *feeding* to Mother Nature, but they really do go for the birdbath that is out there for them. During the coldest months I have a water warmer in it to keep the water in liquid form. When it is really cold, it is a popular spot.
Oh also I find that Eastern Red Cedar and Smooth Sumac are very popular with the birds during winter.
Happy birding!
Bren
I’ll never forget seeing approximately three robins in an upstate NY state park years ago in the middle of January or February in very cold temperatures and writing to Cornell to figure out why. They replied that contrary to popular belief, Robins do not always migrate especially if there are plenty of berries around and in that park there were groves of dogwood berries. I also came across a picture of a Robin eating a minnow (!) in a snowy background and this was a documented article stating the Robin was in fact feeding on that minnow. My mind was blown. The true harbinger of Spring in that cold North country is the beautiful Red-winged Black Bird. Robins do migrate through here along Florida’s Nature Coast and perhaps are a sign of spring. They feed on the Cabbage Palm fruits here – what a juxtaposition for me to live here and see Robins feeding on Palm trees instead of worms! Truly amazing.
I witnessed the same thing for the first time in my 60+ years last week. I couldn’t get over that they were robins in the trees picking dogwood berries and not on the ground where I’m used to seeing them. After closer focal examination I could see that wax wings were participating in the berry buffet.