The robin chorus is spreading and the rush for robin real estate is on. Find out if your neighborhood has what a robin seeks in a territory.

Spring has arrived in North America, although it's hard to believe in areas where snow and cold still linger. Six Canadian provinces reported this week, again in the lead. Another early bird was reported in Alaska, but spring is still just beginning. Winter flocks are breaking up, with no huge robin waves reported this week. More spring behaviors are being seen, including a few nesting reports.

"Waves of Robins in the fields here. Males and females. Suddenly they are everywhere. They are a sight for sore eyes for sure."
04/03/15   Patricia H.. in Gulliver, MI

Leapfrog Migration
At each latitude, the first birds to arrive and sing are the ones that will stay. Robins coming after these singing robins "jump over" them to migrate farther north in a leapfrog migration. Birds heading farther north simply wait to continue until weather conditions seem right, with clear skies and southerly winds. You can tell the robins that are staying from those that are "jumping over" by whether or not they are singing the territorial song.

"This morning I heard my first robin singing his heart out! Our ground is still mostly covered in snow. A welcome sound after a long winter."
04/03/15   Lynda G. in Parry Sound, Ontario

Randy Indish
Keeping Busy

Amy Evoniuk
Gathering

Elizabeth Howard
Scrounging for Food

A male robin wants the best territory for his mate and babies—and the early bird, or the one that never left— often gets the best territory. Investigate what a robin looks for when choosing a territory.

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