April Arrivals
April 5, 2017 by Rita Welch

While many robins are still en route to their breeding grounds, those on territory have begun the nesting cycle.

American Robin Migration


Mike Ward from Paducah, Kentucky on April 2, 2017
Robins often build their first nest of spring in an evergreen.
Deciduous trees don't offer as much shelter before leafout.

Arrivals in Alaska

Robins have been reported from Alaska, but people at our northernmost observation posts are still waiting. Watch the red stars on the map and predict when interior Alaska will welcome their first arrivals.

Juneau, Alaska: "Incomplete warbling from one robin early this am. Cloudy, 34° and snow line at 300-400 feet. Not too spring-like yet," reported Deborah Rudis on April 2nd.

Nest Building
As more robins — male and female — are on territory, signs of nesting are being reported:

Brook, Indiana: "Two robins are nesting on our property. One is in a white pine and has built a nest in that same tree for years. The other has established a nest in a different white pine. The two robins often compete for nest-building materials and are still engaging in territorial behavior," reported Peter Salciunas on April 2nd.

If your robins are singing, look for signs of nest building. Both males and females gather materials but usually only the female builds the nest. Let us know if you see a robin with a beakful of dried grasses or mud on her breast feathers.

First Sightings
 
Male or Female?
Elizabeth Howard

 

Signs of Nest Building
Wayne Kryduba

Article and Journal: Building a Nest

How do robins construct strong, secure structures for incubating eggs and cradling babies? If you follow the step-by-step directions in this how-to article, you'll make some surprising discoveries about their nest-building process.

Report Your Sightings
 
Robin Migration: What to Report Robin Migration Map: First Robin Robin Migration Map: Waves of Robins
What to Report First Seen
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Waves
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Robin migration map: First robins heard singing Robin Nesting Behavior Earthworm migration map
Singing
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Nesting
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Earthworms
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Next Update April 12, 2017