American Robin
Robin Migration Update: March 20, 2012
Please Report
Your Sightings!		 Report Your Sightings
Spring starts today! Robins were on the move last week with record high temperatures in many places. More than one-third of the week's "first" sighting reports came from Canada, and our song map reports also spread north. This week's Read-with-Me slideshow celebrates what robins do in spring.

This Week's Update Includes:

Image of the Week
Male robin sings from his perch on a branch
Photo: Tom Grey
Welcome, Spring!
News: What's Happening Now & What to Watch For
What's Happening Now
NOAA reported that nearly 2,500 warm weather records were set last week. Your robin sighting reports told us that robins are pushing into Canada; 14 of the week's 50 of the first robin reports were north of the US-Canada border. Singing robins were reported farther north, too. However, there are still no signs of spring in snow-covered Alaska.
  • Michigan, March 15: I reported seeing a single robin just a week ago. Now they are everywhere! :)
  • New Jersey, March 19: Mr. Sabatino's second grade class at Somerville Elementary School heard a robin singing the typical song today. We went into our ecology center with our laptop and compared what we were hearing to the song on the Journey North website. It was a perfect match!
  • Winnipeg, Manitoba, March 16: After an incredible week of spring weather in Winnipeg, we heard and saw our first beautiful robin. This is very early for us (last year it was April 4).
What to Watch For
Notice how male robins act when near each other as they arrive. Also watch for females, who arrive on territory a few days to a week behind the males.
  • Indiana, March 16: A pair of robins in our schoolyard were flying from tree to tree and squawking. Several students were "dive-bombed" but not hurt when robins came close to their heads. Old nests were noticed in the [evergreen] trees.

Robin tail wagging is a message in body language.
Photo: Laura Erickson
Body Language?
 
Robin gripping a branch as he perches.
Photo: Don Severson
Get a Grip
 
Male robin perched on a branch
Photo: Don Severson
Mr. Robin
Slideshow: Hello, Robins! Hello, Spring!
When robins are in our backyards, citizen scientists observe and wonder: How long will the robins stay? What food will the robins find? Where will the robins build a nest?

This week's Read-with-Me booklet is the perfect way to welcome spring and explore the essential question: What are robins doing in our backyards?

Turn your own backyard observations into Read-with-Me books to share with friends.

 Cover of Booklet

Hello, Robins! Hello, Spring!
Research Robin-Speak: What Are They Saying?
Robins depend on their voices to locate friends, establish territory borders and warn of enemies. Listen to six distince robin vocalizations, and you'll be able to decode robin-speak when you hear it!
Latest Maps: Where Are Robins Now?
These maps show where people have reported robins and earthworms. Patterns emerge as citizen scientists report their observations. What do you notice this week as you compare where robins are singing with first robin sightings?
Robin Migration Map: First Robin Robin Migration Map: Waves of Robins Robin migration map: First robins heard singing Earthworm migration map
First See
(map/list)		 Waves
(map/list)		 Singing
(map/list)		 Earthworms
(map/list)

Report Your Sightings! What, Where & How
First robin of spring Waves of robins Singin robin First earthworm of spring
The First Robin You
See

Robins migrating in Waves
The First Robin You
Hear Singing

Your first sighting of Earthworms
The next Robin migration update will be posted on March 27, 2012.

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