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American Robin Migration Update:
March 15, 2005
American Robin Migration Maps and Data
Latest Migration News This week’s maps show more sightings in more places, but still no big surge. Did you know that all these robins migrate at a speed of about 30 miles per hour? Robins can migrate during day or night. They average 38 miles per day. Some days they don't migrate at all, while other days they can go many times that distance. In this report you’ll be reminded of reasons why this is true.
Even in cold, snowy places, a few more early robin are singing! In Thornfield, MO, several students heard Robins singing the morning of March 9 even though “we had snow today.” From our Northern Observation Post in Port Hope, Ontario, Ute reports: “We have minus 8 Celsius, but at 6:20 am the first sweet song of the Robin was heard today--March 14." In other places, people are celebrating the sight of their first robins:
What clues in these observations help you know if these might be winter robins or spring migrants? Think about it as you read on: Your Turn as the Expert: Two Important Questions (1) How do you tell the first robin of spring from the last robin of winter? (2) Why do females arrive later than males? These are two important questions for this time of year, and you’ll want to know the answers. How would YOU answer these questions? What facts might you need to know before you can answer? Do some research and draft your answer. Then see what our expert has to say:
Claiming a Territory: Video Clip, Viewing Guide, Journaling Questions Even if your robins aren’t back yet, you know the robin’s true song announces males are on territory. But the first year a bird tries to find a territory, it takes time and exploring to find an open territory. Then he has to defend it against other young birds. Laura Erickson watched a couple of young males in March. They had separated from the big migratory and feeding flocks, and seemed to be interested in establishing a territory for the first time. Problem: they both picked the same place! They were used to being with lots of robins, and now neither knew how to make the other robin go away. See their behavior for yourself. Laura helps you understand what you are seeing, and you’ll know what she means when she compares it to playing basketball. See what things are like for robins who are “new kids on the block!”
NEW! Robins and Journey North for Kids Early learners (and anyone who wants a simple, quick overview) will love the just-for-kids pages we’re building with our great photos and facts. Check out the start, and watch for more in the future: Announcing Journey North's 2005 Early Bird Contest! How long will it take robins to reach the end of the road? Once again this spring, students at Sand Lake School in Anchorage, Alaska will officiate our annual Early Bird Contest. In this contest, we challenge you to predict when the first robins will be seen in Anchorage. To enter the contest, simply answer this question:
Dates of "first American robin arrivals" in Anchorage for some recent years:
Meet a Robin Bander: Challenge Question #5 Then come back and answer:
What would you do if you saw a banded bird and wanted to report it? Bird bands, including neck bands and wing markers or tags, may be reported here:
Tracking Temps and Robins: This Week’s Isotherm Map Robin migration is tightly connected to weather, unlike hummingbird or oriole migration. We’ve invited you to test the theory that robins follow the 36- or 37-degree isotherm during migration. (The isotherm is an imaginary line that connects places having the same average temps.) This week’s isotherm map shows where temps have been warming up:
News From the Northern Observation Posts (NOPs) How long does Stan White on Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula think it will be until the true migrants arrive? How many NOPs have seen their first robin? Have any reported the first singing robin yet? Which migratory bird do students at the Innoko River School in Shageluk, AK expect to see first? Don’t miss the students’ Iditarod reports, live on their website. For more of the latest news that will help you make (or revise) your predictions for first robins in the Northern Observation Posts, see:
Name That Tune! Answer to Challenge Question #2 Spring Fever: Discussion of Challenge Question #3 We asked: "Do you think it would make sense for robins to migrate with the 36-degree isotherm? Explain your thinking." Read carefully and you’ll know: "Robins that reach their territories first are the ones to get the choicest territories," says our ornithologist, Laura Erickson. "But if they arrive too soon, the ground will be frozen, making it impossible to find earthworms. Robins do best when they advance as the average temperature is 36 degrees. If the temperature is warmer than that, they move north even faster, and if the temperature drops, they slow down, or even head south for a little while." How to Respond to Today's Challenge Questions:
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Address an e-mail message to: jn-challenge-robin@learner.org The Next American Robin Migration Update Will Be Posted on March 22 (Data Only). Copyright 2005 Journey
North. All Rights Reserved. |
