Quick answers to common questions about American Robin (Turdus migratorius).
For detailed behavioral insights, historical context, and John Burroughs’s observations, see our complete guide to the American Robin.
Identification
What does an American Robin look like?
Adult male American Robins have dark gray-brown heads approaching black, bright orange-red breasts, yellow bills, and white crescents above and below the eye. Females display paler heads with reduced contrast and duller orange breasts. Both sexes are about 10 inches long with a wingspan of around 17 inches and weigh approximately 2.7 ounces, making them the largest North American thrush.
How do I identify the American Robin song?
American Robins sing a melodious caroling phrase described phonetically as “cheerily, cheer up, cheer up, cheerily, cheer up”. Dawn songs can include 250-500 phrases delivered continuously before sunrise. Territorial calls include sharp “tut tut tut” or “peek” notes, and alarm calls are high-pitched squeals or “yeeps.”
American Robin vs Varied Thrush – what’s the difference?
| Feature | American Robin | Varied Thrush |
|---|---|---|
| Breast color | Solid orange-red | Orange with black breastband |
| Eyebrow | White crescent | Bold orange stripe |
| Wing pattern | Plain gray-brown | Orange wing bars |
| Habitat preference | Open lawns and edges | Dense coniferous forest |
| Range | The Pacific Northwest primarily | Pacific Northwest primarily |
American Robins have solid orange breasts and white eye crescents, while Varied Thrushes show a distinctive black breastband, bold orange eyebrow, and prefer dense forests over open areas.
What are the key field marks for the American Robin?
The combination of orange-red breast, dark head, white eye crescents, and yellow bill creates an unmistakable pattern. The characteristic behavior—industrious bounding across open ground punctuated by erect, head-cocked pauses—provides instant recognition even at a distance. Regional variation includes white tail corners in eastern populations and paler overall coloring in western birds.
Male vs female American Robin – how to tell them apart?
Males have darker gray-brown heads approaching black with high contrast against the orange breast, while females show paler heads with reduced contrast. Male breasts are brighter orange-red compared to the duller orange of females. Otherwise, the basic plumage pattern is similar between sexes.
Behavior & Biology
Do American Robins migrate?
American Robins are partial migrants, meaning some populations migrate while others remain year-round residents. Northern populations typically migrate south, while many southern and western birds stay year-round. The “first robin of spring” is often a local bird that wintered nearby in dense vegetation rather than a long-distance migrant returning from the south.
What do American Robins eat?
American Robins consume roughly 40% invertebrates and 60% fruit year-round, but the ratio shifts dramatically by season. Spring and summer diet is 60-70% earthworms and invertebrates (insects, snails, occasionally small snakes), while fall and winter diet shifts to 80-90% fruits and berries, including chokecherries, hawthorn, dogwood, sumac, and juniper. Morning hours see more earthworm consumption when dew brings worms near the surface.
How do American Robins find worms?
American Robins locate earthworms primarily by sight, using the characteristic head-cocking behavior to position one eye for detailed ground scanning. Research has demonstrated they can also use hearing as backup when visual cues are obscured. The head tilt serves dual purposes: scanning the ground for worm holes or movement while maintaining predator vigilance with the other eye.
How long do American Robins live?
Individual adult American Robins survive an average of 1.7 years after their first winter. The longevity record is 13 years 11 months for a banded wild bird. The entire population turns over on average every six years due to predation, weather, and other mortality factors.
What is the American Robin’s habitat?
American Robins thrive in edge habitats where open ground meets protective cover, including suburban lawns, parks, farmland, woodland edges, and urban areas. They occupy diverse climates from Alaska tundra to Texas suburbs. Their success comes from exploiting the exact landscape humans create: short grass for foraging paired with trees or structures for nesting.
Do American Robins mate for life?
American Robins form seasonal pair bonds that typically last for one breeding season. Males arrive at breeding grounds 8-10 days before females to establish territories. Pairs may reunite in subsequent years if both survive, but they do not maintain pair bonds during migration or winter when they abandon territories and form large flocks.
Can American Robins get drunk on fermented berries?
Yes, American Robins and cedar waxwings can become intoxicated from consuming fermented berries during late-winter thaws. The National Wildlife Health Center documented 800 parts per million ethanol in berries that killed 50 cedar waxwings in Texas. Robins consuming exclusively honeysuckle or pyracantha berries sometimes exhibit stumbling or falling behavior, though debate continues whether fermentation or cyanogenic compounds cause the effect.
Nesting & Reproduction
When do American Robins nest?
American Robins begin nesting in March-April across most of their northern range, with timing varying by latitude and local conditions. Southern populations may begin earlier. They typically raise 2-3 broods per season, with nest building and egg laying continuing through July in many regions.
How many eggs do American Robins lay?
American Robins typically lay 3-4 eggs per clutch, though clutch size can range from 3-5. The eggs are the iconic “robin’s egg blue” color, though they can also be white. Females produce multiple clutches per season if earlier nests fail or after successfully fledging young.
How long do American Robin eggs take to hatch?
American Robin eggs incubate for 12-14 days before hatching. The female performs all incubation duties while the male defends the territory and brings food to the incubating female. Hatching is typically synchronous, with all eggs in a clutch hatching within 24 hours of each other.
When do American Robin chicks leave the nest?
American Robin nestlings fledge at 13 days old on average, though timing ranges from 9-16 days depending on conditions. Fledglings cannot fly well initially and remain dependent on parents for 2-3 weeks after leaving the nest. Only about 25% of fledglings survive to November due to predation and other mortality.
Where do American Robins nest?
Female American Robins select nest sites on horizontal branches typically 5-25 feet high, though they readily adapt to human structures, including porch lights, gutters, and building ledges. They build from inside outward using grass, twigs, and mud from worm castings, creating a cup 6-8 inches across and 3-6 inches high, lined with fine grass.
What is the American Robin nest success rate?
Approximately 40% of American Robin nests successfully fledge young, and about 25% of fledglings survive to November. Despite these apparently low rates, robins maintain stable or increasing populations through high reproductive output (2-3 broods per season), rapid renesting after failure, and a long breeding season. The species averages 2.5-3.0 young raised per pair per season across the population.
Conservation & Population
Are American Robins endangered?
No, American Robins are not endangered and are classified as a species of Least Concern. They are North America’s most abundant landbird, with an estimated 370 million individuals. The population has increased 0.13% annually since 1966, according to the North American Breeding Bird Survey, bucking decline trends that affect most songbirds.
Why are American Robin populations stable while other songbirds decline?
American Robins succeed through exceptional tolerance of human proximity and ability to exploit suburban and urban landscapes. They thrive in the edge habitat humans create (lawns with nearby trees) rather than requiring specialized habitats. Their dietary flexibility—shifting between invertebrates and fruit seasonally—and adaptability to diverse nesting sites allow them to prosper across varied climates and human-modified environments.
What are the main threats to American Robins?
Pesticide exposure represents the primary conservation concern, as robins forage conspicuously on treated lawns and consume earthworms that accumulate toxins. Contemporary threats include neonicotinoids, chlorpyrifos, and glyphosate, affecting both robins directly and their prey base. Historical threats included DDT, which Rachel Carson documented in Silent Spring, resulting in notable declines in the 1950s and 1960s before the pesticide was banned.
How has the American Robin’s range changed historically?
American Robins expanded their range into prairies and western mountains as tree planting provided nesting sites in previously treeless areas. More northern overwintering has occurred as climate warming and ornamental berry plantings sustain winter populations. The species now occupies a broader geographic and climatic range than during John Burroughs’s 1871 observations, with increased use of human structures for nesting.
Attracting American Robins
How do I attract American Robins to my yard?
American Robins are attracted to yards that provide short grass for foraging, paired with trees or shrubs for nesting and cover. Key strategies include:
- Maintain sections of short lawn with access to soil for earthworm foraging
- Plant native berry-producing shrubs (dogwood, serviceberry, hawthorn, sumac) for fall and winter food
- Provide a birdbath with clean water for drinking and bathing, as robins are enthusiastic bathers
- Avoid or minimize pesticide use, especially on lawns where robins forage
Do American Robins use nest boxes?
American Robins do not use enclosed nest boxes with entrance holes. They prefer open nesting platforms or ledges that accommodate their mud-cup nest style. You can attract nesting robins by installing nesting shelves (open platforms with a roof) mounted 6-15 feet high on buildings, fences, or trees. These should be at least 8×8 inches with a roof for weather protection.
What plants attract American Robins?
Native berry-producing plants attract American Robins, especially in the fall and winter for food. Excellent choices include dogwood species (Cornus), serviceberry (Amelanchier), hawthorn (Crataegus), sumac (Rhus), holly (Ilex), juniper (Juniperus), and viburnum species. These provide high-fat berries that can sustain robins through winter, complementing their spring and summer earthworm diet.
Will American Robins come to bird feeders?
American Robins rarely visit traditional seed feeders, as their diet focuses on invertebrates and fruit rather than seeds. They may visit platform feeders offering mealworms, especially during harsh weather or breeding season when protein demands are high. Fresh or dried fruit (raisins, currants, chopped apples) on platform feeders or ground feeding areas may also attract robins.
For complete American Robin identification, behavior, ecology, and historical perspective, see our full article.
Last updated: January 2026 | Data sources: Cornell Lab of Ornithology, North American Breeding Bird Survey, Partners in Flight