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Robin Migration Update: February 13, 2001

Today's Report Includes:

Winter Robin Round-Up: The Results Are In!
Where are robins found in February? And what are they doing? Thanks to Journey North observers across the U.S. and Canada, today's maps and the observers' comments provide a good picture of robins in wintertime.


Are You Ready to Track Robin Migration?
While this map shows WHERE robins were found in early February, it does not show HOW MANY were found at each place. (Or as scientists would say, the map shows robin "DISTRIBUTION" but does not show robin "ABUNDANCE.") The fact is that, even though robins are already spread across a large portion of their range, we're about to see huge masses of them move across the continent. The abundance of robins is about to shift dramatically from south to north.

Please read these instructions so you can help to track their movement.


These three maps show the progress so far:

(For data, click on caption.)

First Robins
Seen

Waves
of Robins

First Robins Heard Singing

Clues in the Photo: Challenge Question #1

Robin
Courtesy of Ann Cook

Take a close look at this beautiful wintertime robin to see what you can discover. Robin expert Laura Erickson says, "This American Robin is still feeding on its winter diet of berries. Why does it look bigger and fluffier than summer robins? Is it a male or a female? Or is it possible to tell? Notice how tiny the pupil of its eye is. What color is the iris?" Think about these questions, and send us your answers:

Challenge Question #1
"Why does this robin look bigger and fluffier than a summer robin? Is it a male or a female? Why is the pupil of the eye so small on this day? What color is the iris?"

(To respond to this question, please follow the instructions below.)

Robins in Winter
Most American robins do not need to head too far south of the U.S. border to find the food and conditions that will get them through the winter. Because a plentiful supply of fruit will keep theme going until spring, some robins stay pretty far north. For example, Fourth graders from Lakefield Elementary School in Quispamsis, N.B. Canada wrote:

"We have seen about 240 over wintering robins. Most look fat...have they been feeding well or are their feathers fluffed out? They have been eating berries left on the trees from the fall and have been seen with flocks of other birds such as cedar waxwings."

Readers sent reports of large flocks overwintering in Durham, NH and Ferrisburg, VT. Today we received a note from an observer reporting "thousands of robins outside our house in New Orleans." And from Worcester, Mark Lynch and Sheila Carroll wrote about robins in Massachusetts:

"Many people (non-birders) assume that robins leave in the winter and therefore are a SIGN OF SPRING when seen on your lawn in March and April. Truth is that many (but by no means all) Robins change their behavior depending on:
1. Depth of snow
2. Availability of wild fruit. (Here: bittersweet, crab apples, sumac etc.)
"Flocks of Robins (sometimes large) will attempt to overwinter VERY LOCALLY. At these times, they often form large communal evening roosts in dense evergreens or even plants like phragmites and spread out from these points in the morning to feed wherever fruit is found. . . The "other" Robins migrate short distances down the coast to where food and snow depth are more favorable. The point is, even in a poor food year, there are always Robins with us, if in much reduced numbers."

Feeding, Flocking, Flying
Reports from Robin watchers all over tell us that robins are behaving as expected during mid-winter: they are feeding, flocking, and flying. Robins need extra calories right now, partly to fuel their migration and partly to store up enough fat to help them survive cold days of late winter. Here's how robins were seen behaving the past few weeks at a variety of winter locations. After you read the observations below about wintertime behaviors, tell us your thoughts for. . .

Challenge Question #2
"What are some advantages robins gain by flocking together?"

(To respond to this question, please follow the instructions below.)


Hattiesburg, MS January 29:

"These days, it is not difficult for me to spend a morning in the field and find literally thousands of robins. They tend to form large, though fairly loose flocks. . . Flock sizes can be upwards of 300-400 birds."


Denver, CO January 31:

"Our usual wintering Robins . . .feast on Juniper berries, rose hips, dried grapes, dried crabapples, dried apples--and any other fruit items they can find."


And a Question from Wiscasset, ME February 3:

"A flock of 20-30 robins arrived on Feb. 3 apparently looking for running fresh water in a nearby stream. There has been significant snow cover since December and temperatures have seldom been above freezing for weeks. They are very active. There are only a few shrubs with leftover berries and neighborhood birdfeeders. These birds are very plump! What are they eating???"

Olives? Seasonal Menus
Do you have any favorite foods that you can get only in summer? Are there other foods that appear on your plate mainly in winter? As seasons change, diets may also change--not only for people but also for robins and other animals. A robin watcher from Mountain View, CA wrote:

"My family looks for the arrival of the robins each year in January. We have a large heritage olive tree in our front yard that the robins feast upon. We had approximately 15 - 20 robins in our front yard--in the rain---snapping up the whole olives that have dropped from the tree."

Are you surprised that robins like olives? Dr. David Aborn explains: "During the winter, robins eat a lot of fruit, so seeing them descend upon an olive tree is not unusual. In fact, many migrants that feed on insects in the spring and summer switch to fruits on the wintering grounds in the tropics. This includes thrushes [American robins are red-breasted yard thrushes], warblers, and vireos. During fall migration, the fats and sugars found in fruits are very important to give the birds energy. For birds that winter farther north, such as robins and Cedar Waxwings (as well as resident birds) the fats and sugars help see them through the cold weather, when insects are not plentiful."

How to Respond to Today's Challenge Question

IMPORTANT: Answer only ONE question in each e-mail message.

1. Address an e-mail message to: jn-challenge-robin@learner.org
2. In the Subject Line of your message write: Challenge Question #1 (or #2).
3. In the body of each message, answer ONE of the questions above.

Please Report the First Robin you SEE, the first robin you HEAR singing, and other interesting robin observations. Your reports will be incorporated into these Robin Migration Updates.

The Next American Robin Migration Update Will be Posted on February 27, 2001.

Copyright 2001 Journey North. All Rights Reserved. Please send all questions, comments, and suggestions to our feedback form

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