{"id":7748,"date":"2026-10-30T17:47:41","date_gmt":"2026-10-30T17:47:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/?p=7748"},"modified":"2026-10-30T18:20:13","modified_gmt":"2026-10-30T18:20:13","slug":"american-robin-not-just-a-turd","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/2026\/10\/30\/american-robin-not-just-a-turd\/","title":{"rendered":"American Robin: Not Just a Turd"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When I was rehabbing birds this summer, the most common bird that showed up was the American robin. Whether it was abandoned babies, cat bites, or window strikes I was taking care of them all. I used to get disappointed whenever I would see something land in the tree, just for it to be a boring robin. But after weeks taking care of robins, watching them gobble up their food, wiggle their tails before they poo, and stare at me with their beady eyes, I have come to appreciate their charm. I hope by the end of this blog, you too will have gained a liking for these abundant fellows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Systematics: What’s in a Name?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The American robin (Turdus migratorius<\/em>) is in the order Passeriformes that consists of perching and songbirds. They belong to the family Turdidae, which despite its resemblance to a word for bodily waste, is derived from the Latin word turdus<\/em>, meaning \u201cthrush\u201d (Lederer, 2022). Turdidae includes the birds known as thrushes and allies. Some notable species in this family include the Mountain Bluebird, Townsend\u2019s Solitaire, Swainson\u2019s Thrush, and even the Eurasian Blackbird immortalized by the 1968 song \u201cBlackbird\u201d by The Beatles (Cornell Lab of Ornithology, n.d.). But enough about their cool cousins, we are here to discuss the one and only, drum roll please\u2026  AMERICAN ROBIN!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Identification: Appearance, Flight & Song <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

American robins are described as medium-sized, plump-bodied, long-legged birds. They\u2019re the largest thrush in all of North America and serve as a key reference for comparing the size and shape of other birds (Cornell Lab of Ornithology, n.d.). You\u2019ll often hear birders say, \u201cIt was about robin-sized.\u201d American robins typically weigh around 77-85 g, have a length of 20-28 cm and a wingspan ranging from 31-40 cm (Cornell Lab of Ornithology, n.d.). Now these numbers don\u2019t mean a lot unless you\u2019re holding one, so let\u2019s discuss their appearance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Male<\/em> & Female<\/em> (photos by johndreynolds<\/a> & actshrike<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Adult robins have a grey-brown back, a burnt orange breast, a yellow bill, and small white spots and streaks around their eyes and chin. Males and females are similar in size but differ when it comes to plumage; males have darker heads and richer colours (Cornell Lab of Ornithology, n.d.).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Juveniles are tricky and can be confused for other thrush species. They are heavily spotted on their breast, similar to the Swainson\u2019s thrush. However, juvenile American robins sport a mottled back and an orange tinge on the breast always peeks through (Cornell Lab of Ornithology, n.d.).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Juvenile<\/em> (Photo by Pearl Curtis)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

In the air, look for pointed wings, a rounded square-tipped tail, and a white patch under their tail and lower belly (National Audubon Society, n.d.). When flying they have fast wingbeats mixed with short glides while their wings are tucked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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