Birds In Ontario

The American Robin

What bird is more associated with spring than the American robin? In all parts of North America including here in southern Ontario, the American robin is a familiar sight in backyards at this time of the year and throughout the summer. But did you know that some American robins don't migrate to warmer areas, in stead they stick it out through the winter months? I myself have never seen an American robin in the winter, maybe it's because they spend the time high in tree tops since it would be pretty hard to pick a worm out from frozen ground. Or maybe the ones around here don't like the cold and head for warmer pastures. In any case the first sighting I get of them is near the end of March, when I see an American robin I know warmer weather is on the way.

This fairly large songbird belonging to the thrush family feels right at home in suburban as well as in rural settings. They are just as comfortable building their nest in trees as they are on house structures such as around downspouts and eaves as happened twice outside my kitchen window! I had a birds eye view (pardon the pun) of mama and papa taking care of the young.

American robins are often seen perched on fences with their head held high and alert. And who has not seen one on the ground scampering across lawns looking for earthworms. It's sense of hearing and eyesight allows the American robin to detect earthworms by tilting its head toward the ground. For years it was thought that it was listening carefully to the earthworm's moving under the soil but it is now thought that it also uses its eyesight, like many other birds, robins see independently from each eye and by tilting its head toward the ground it has a better view.

You are unlikely to see the American robin at the bird feeder because it is not a seed eater, their diet consists mainly of fruit such as berries in fall and winter, with earthworms and grubs making up a large part of their meals during the spring and summer.

What I like the most about the American robin is the well recognized sound of their beautiful melodies, hearing one outside my window in the evening on a warm summer day just fills the air with tranquility and makes me want to get out my brush and paint. The early morning and evening hours is when they are most vocal.

Did You Know?

One of North America's most familiar birds with one of the most recognizable melodies of all songbirds

The largest bird of the thrush family

It got its name from the European robin of which the early settlers to North America were reminded of.

Can have as many as 3 broods in a single breeding season. No wonder robin are so plentiful ans widespread!

Their eggs are a pale blue color and take 2 weeks to hatch