A sign of spring in the Northeastern
United States is the return of the robin. Most of us know that "the early bird gets the
worm", but did you know that when a robin cocks his head and points one beady
eye toward the ground, he's looking for worms?
Robin 101
Robins are found throughout the world and are made up of 15
species. All robins are part of the
thrush family, which also includes blackbirds.
The American robin can be found throughout North America and is the state
bird of Connecticut, Michigan,
and Wisconsin.
Robins migrate each year and many travel as far South as Florida
or Mexico. In summer, robins travel as far north as British Columbia.
The color of the bird is brownish-gray with a red chest
(females are paler). The three to five
eggs that a female lays each year even have a Crayola crayon named after them –
Robin's Egg Blue. Robins feed on worms, bugs,
fruits, and berries.
They are preyed upon by hawks, cats, and snakes. The average lifespan of a wild robin is
approximately two years; however, a
banding project discovered one that lived 14 years.
Hunting Habits
A robin running across the grass and suddenly stopping is a
funny but common sight among the species.
When it stops, the bird cocks its head and appears to listen to the
ground for the movement of a worm. But
robins do not actually hunt by sound; they look for worms.
Where does the phrase "the early bird gets the worm" come
from? Robins snatch up worms near the
surface, and worms are located there in the morning because the ground is cool
and moist from dew. Worms are less
likely to be out later in heat and dry conditions.
Another peculiar thing a robin may do is stamp its foot on
the ground when waiting for a worm to appear.
This is an attempt to "scare" a worm into moving so the robin can see it
and snatch it up. Sneaky!
Have you seen any robins in your area? I first saw some here in New York in January! We still had snow as recently as a few weeks
ago, so I think they may have been a little early for worms. But just a few minutes ago there was one
outside my window, looking for his breakfast.
Resources:
http://www.nysite.com/nature/fauna/robin.htm
http://animals.howstuffworks.com/birds/robin-info.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Robin
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art10862.asp
http://www.bsc-eoc.org/national/nw_faq.html#n
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Re: How the Bird Gets the Worm
