It’s not spring until the robins show up

By: 
Lisa Jansen
Special to NEW Media

It is that time of year when the snow begins to melt and the grass becomes more visible each day. Spring is on its way, but for me, and perhaps for you, too, it is not officially here until I see our beloved state bird — the American robin.

When I see that familiar red breast, I smile. Just as I cheered as the ice cream truck came around the corner when I was a little girl, I jump for joy upon my first robin sighting of the year. The American robin is a much anticipated and welcome sign of spring.

What is it about robins that we love so much? Perhaps how they run around the yard and then stop suddenly in their tracks? How they stand straight and tall one minute and then use their powerful legs to tug worms out of the ground the next? Is it their beautiful morning song or their serenade as the sun sets?

Everyone knows their eggs are such a beautiful blue we’ve named a color after them. It probably helps that they hang out in our gardens and shrubs and build their nests in our windowsills and barns. They feel comfortable living with us, and we enjoy them and make them a part of our lives. But perhaps there are some things about this familiar bird that you don’t know.

Upon the first spring sighting, I’ve heard friends exclaim: “They’re back! The robins are back!” While robins are classified as migratory birds, many of them do not actually go south for the winter. Their migration is affected not only by climate but also food supply, according to The Cornell Lab.

While many will fly as far south as Mexico, if your neighbor down the road has a lot of crabapple trees, there is a good chance some will stay at his house for the winter. I’ve heard concerns from people when they see a robin in winter, thinking something must be wrong with it having not migrated, but now you know, it is probably just fine.

Robins also change behavior in winter. While they are very territorial in spring and summer during their nesting season, in the winter they unite to form flocks of dozens, sometimes hundreds and even thousands of birds. According to the article “61 Tons of Robins” by Bob Sundstrom, an estimated 720,000 robins were seen roosting together near St. Petersburg, Florida, in 2007.

They are also known to join forces with other species giving them more eyes to find food and more bodies to keep warm and ward off predators. Even the American robin’s archenemy, the bluejay, who steals eggs right out of the robin’s nest, is known to join flocks in winter, a sure sign of nature doing what it needs to do to survive.

To help robins endure the winter and early spring months, consider providing what The Cornell Lab says are the three essential things birds need to survive: food, shelter and water. Robins like berries, so consider planting berry producing shrubs and trees like chokecherries, red mulberries and dogwoods. You can add a feeder filled with hulled sunflower seeds, suet, mealworms or fruit to supplement their diet.

Shrubs and trees that maintain their leaves during winter provide good shelter. When choosing plants for your yard, remember to go native and consider different canopy levels for diverse shelter needs. Robins love heated bird baths. They not only drink from them but they put on quite a show taking long dramatic baths dipping in and out and shaking water everywhere.

In his blog, Tony Bedford points out the American robin can “recognize humans as part of remembering patterns such as where and when food is. Robins like humans who fill bird feeders, dig around in the dirt and have relaxed body language.” Keep this in mind when they return in spring. They may or may not have traveled far, but if they choose your yard to live in, welcome them home. Enjoy living and working among them for they are a symbol of new beginnings and a sign of good things to come.


Lisa Jansen is a conservationist, nature writer and award-winning photographer. She specializes in raising awareness of birds and butterflies of the Midwest.