Bird Watcher's Digest: Home Bird Watcher's Digest Magazine The Backyard Birds Newsletter The Bird Watcher's Digest App Bird Watcher's Digest Nature Shop

Bird Identification

in

American Robin

Turdus migratorius L 10" (25 cm)

Photo by Lang Elliott.

Listen to an American robin.

Well-known even among non-bird watchers, the robin is found almost everywhere in North America. Seen at all seasons foraging on open grassy areas, robins migrate south in winter, but may spend the winter as far north as Canada. The classic "first robin of spring" may be a bird that has spent the entire winter in a nearby woodland. Another myth surrounding this species is that it may locate earthworms, a primary prey item, by sound--hearing the worms moving underground. This has not been proven by scientific study. It's much more likely that the robin forages by sight rather than by sound. The robin's song is a loud, rich series that sounds like cheerily, cheer-up, cheerio, which is often sung most fervently at dawn. The robin's call is tut-tut-tut.

This sound file requires RealPlayer. Bird song courtesy of Lang Elliott, NatureSound Studio.

Wading Birds

SECTION FEATURES - FESTIVAL

You Might Like

Timelapse PlantCam

Watch your plants grow in fast-forward with the new Timelapse PlantCam. The PlantCam is rugged and weatherproof, and automatically takes photos and videos at set time intervals. It then stitches the photos together to create a video showing in minutes or seconds what usually can't be seen with the naked eye. The result is a seamless movie of your plants growing! Only $79.95 in our store!

Buy now »

Hummingbirds of the Backyard DVD

Come along with Sheri Williamson, author of the Peterson Guide to Hummingbirds, on this fascinating video journey into the secret lives of North America's favorite birds. She'll introduce you to 13 species that nest in the U.S. and Canada and she'll show you how to attract them to your yard. Running time is approximately 50 minutes. Only $19.99 in our store!

Buy now »

Charley Harper Puzzle—Monteverde

This thoughtfully conceived and engagingly intricate 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle is sure to delight novice and veteran puzzle-workers and bird-watchers alike. An identification guide on the back of the box helps identify each of the species represented in this colorful and complex image. Only $17.95 in our store!

Buy now »