In winter and in early spring before worms emerge, robins mainly eat the fruits and berries of crabapple, holly, mountain ash, chokeberry, sumac, hawthorn and juniper. This robin has just picked a mulberry with his beak. His tongue will help him finish the job. Like an arrow, the robin's tongue is pointed at the tip and wide at the back. Gravity will help him toss the berry to the back of his tongue. The wide part of the tongue helps push the berry down the robin's throat as he swallows.
"Once the ground was not covered with snow, we watched robins foraging for anything on the ground. Most were seen feeding on the fruit in apple and crab apple trees."
Steve in Lewistown, MT (March 31, 2014)
Photo: Laura Erickson
