November 23, 2025

A Robin (Turdus migratorius) in late November, here in Virginia.

Ask an American Robin if it migrates and you might get a deep sigh and then a long stretched out, “Well . . .”

Seems it is a tossup, in part depending on food availability and weather conditions. Many stay put in their breeding grounds with no migration at all. Others will head south, but only quite a short distance to spend the winter. What I see here in central Virginia is a nomadic tendency, flocking together to find abundant food and water sources, often with Cedar Waxwings (Bombycilla cedrorum).

So seeing a Robin does not mean it is spring.

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