American Robin

Here's someone that almost everyone living in the lower 48 US states knows, the American Robin. Though common, there's a lot you might not know about them:
  • They're named after but are not particularly close relatives of the European Robin. The term "robin" has been used in the names of quite a few unrelated birds.
  • They are related to our thrushes, including the bluebirds.
  • Though associated with migration - their scientific name is Turdus migratorius - they can be found year round in many areas, including NJ. (It's unclear whether we have the same robins here all year round, or if the ones we see in the winter spend the summer up north and the ones we see in the summer head south for the winter. I'm betting that both occur.)
  • They're opportunistic omnivores. In the summer their favorite foods consist of invertebrates, but in the winter they'll switch to berries.
  • The orange-red plumage reminded Native Americans of fire, and they're sometimes considered fire thieves or fire guardians in their myths.
September 1, 2022 at Duke Island Park
Photo 238907229, (c) jpviolette, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)


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