Robin Radar: How Robins Find Worms [NARRATED] 4K

How many worms do you notice when you're walking on a lawn? ... Right. ... Well, then, other than being closer to the ground than we are, what makes Robins so good at finding them? Lotsa reasons. Let me tell you about them.
This movie is a remake of one I did in 2017. That one had an important factual error that I wanted to correct. And besides, I learned more about how Robins find those worms than I knew in 2017, and I wanted to pass the info along.

[@JimmyDeLocke]

The early bird catches the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese😂

[@raintree3383]

I am in Alberta Canada and my First Robin Sighting has been special to me all of my life...I am a Gramma now and I will teach this Gift to my Grandaughter I havent seen one yet this year and will continue to keep my eye out

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Teaching your granddaughter about Robins sounds like making sweet memories for her. And now, you can explain to her what they're really up to. Have fun.

[@Joey-JoJo-Jr.64]

I hear them in the morning when they wake up here in downtown Edmonton 🇨🇦

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

@@Joey-JoJo-Jr.64 Yep. They're pretty much everywhere.

[@raintree3383]

@@Joey-JoJo-Jr.64 Hello there ...I am in Edmonton as well 😃 over by West Edmonton Mall...I havent seen a Robin yet but I saw a woodpecker yesterday on a telephone pole ....which was awesome !

[@Terri_Stauffer]

Anyone who has a worm bin knows worms make noise. First time I heard it I was amazed . I love watching the robins hunt for worms, they are so adorable hopping from place to place.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Interesting! Thanks for that info, Terri.

[@jamesmonahan1870]

THE ROBIN FLEW AWAY (C)2006

[@WrenStanchen]

My gosh, I love to listen to you explaining bird facts. I often end up quoting them to myself (and to others) after I've watched a new video! ❤

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Your comment brought a big smile, Ryan. Loved it. Thank you.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

I just noticed what spellcheck did to your name, Rynn. I do know the difference.

[@Pazuzu4219]

She seems to know more about Birds than people at pet stores lol. Which ik she most likely does.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

@@Pazuzu4219 I guess I do know more than some of the employees at Wild Birds Unlimited, but really I just sound like I know a lot because I don't have to talk off the cuff. You'd be surprised at the yawning gaps in my knowledge. But thanks for saying so, anyway. We'll keep my deficiencies our secret. 😉

[@Pazuzu4219]

@@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME very humble 😀

[@Thee-_-Outlier]

Robin radar is one of my favorite things to observe during spring. In fact right now im watching them after tilling, planting amd weeding. I love how in spring when i distrub the soild and/or water said tilled soil the robins all gather for an earthworm feast. Its so cool watching them tilt their heads strategically to hear and see the worms who are also reacting to the tilled and moistened soil and then hunt, peck and scrath thru the hay and topsoil to gorge on their newly doscovered bounty. I feel a symbiosis with these robins as if i am feeding them. I feel they recognize me and the yard work i do and anticipate it. Ive even come to recognize some of them individually by their size and markings. My yard has become a haven for robins, even tho they are common here. I also have a bunch of cardinals and sparrows that theive iny yard die to izzalea shrubs and rodadendrum. I find it amazing how the red izaleas attract the cardinals. Theyve occupied these shribs for the decades ive lived here.. On a side note my yard im pretty sure has the invassive jumping worm. I live in Pennsylvania and on nights when conditions align i can sit out in my yard at night and hear my entire yard russling. It was so loud i couldnt bwlieve it. All the leaves amd debris would make a crinkling sound as i sat there. Eventually i had to try and fond the soirce of this noise and all o could seek to atteibute it to was these worms i observed. I never went thru the trouble of identification but im prerty sure these are jumping worms, and their excessive wriggling was making this noise. I just wonder if these are the same qorms the robons feast on or if the earthworms and jumping worms are both abundant.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

I had never heard of jumping worms before. Interesting. And I was also intrigued by your mention of being able to tell individual Robins apart. It's more than I've ever tried to do.

[@Thee-_-Outlier]

@@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME I noticed based off white markings many of them have on their faces. To be fair tho, there are only a handful of them that are always here so it's not like I am telling 20 different birds apart. I can recognize about 5 of them based off markings and size. I also have not heard of jumping worms until a year or two ago.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

@@Thee-_-Outlier All I can say is that you are a keen observer.

[@angieamaplantas4036]

Incredible video! I never new how Robins got worms, always thought it was funny how they hop around. They are definitely my favorite bird. Thank you for this vieo!

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Yes, Angie, I love watching them hop and run like Charlie Chaplin. They're fast for a good sized bird. Grackles, now, they waddle.

[@TomTerrific]

Thanks - fun video. I noticed Robins seeming talking to each other yesterday. It would be interesting to know what they were saying. Keep up the great videos.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Thanks for commenting, Tom--and for the praise. I know what you mean about the Robins talking to each other. They're probably just saying something like: I'm over thisaway. But they always sound like they're mildly scolding.

[@stig123]

I once witnessed a hawk attack a robin nest. Only one baby survived. We raised it up to adulthood and man did it eat worms! Unlike the moms and dads, we had to get a shovel and dig 24/7! Our whole backyard was upside-down in a week! And yet, fledglings are better fed by their parents than us. It's amazing!

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

What is story! Yes, that is amazing that a pair of Robins can do better at it than you can with a shovel.

[@jillz1542]

😢

[@keithranney4753]

That's so cool, always wondered how they found worms. Nature is amazing!

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Yes, the more I learn, the more I think nature is amazing.

[@michaeldethrow3873]

What a neat and informative video you produced. I love watching the birds about the yard, especially the Robins.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Thanks for the comment, Michael. I love it that such an entertaining bird is so common and not shy.

[@mg10500]

FANTASTIC narration!!

[@1FISH]

Do you have any publicly available sources for the worm-hunting explanations? It'd be super interesting to see what tests the ornithologists used to figure out these robin super powers.

[@MrTmiket0007]

Thanks for sharing another wonderful video like always, I love Robins🐦❤️🤗

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

I appreciate the compliment, Miguel, especially the “like always“ part of it. Thanks.

[@lePeachfuzz]

I love your videos and commentary, and robins are my favourite - it's a match made in heaven. It always cracks me up when they decide to run across a road with their twiddly legs instead of hopping along or flying. 😂

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

If I had thought of the phrase twiddly legs, I’d have used it! It’s the perfect description for an activity, that, like you, I love to watch.

[@mymichiganmittens]

Robins are Michigan's state bird. They arrive here every spring, sometimes a bit early and the snow makes them look so grumpy. I've grown up seeing them. We have bird feeders hanging, but never see robins at them. Instead, they hop around the grass just as you describe, grabbing up worms. We were curious about their ability to find worms and your video was recommended to me tonight. Thanks for the robin lesson.

[@JasonW.]

In late March and April we put out meal worms in feeders that the other birds will cause some to drop onto the ground. The robins snatch the meal worms up immediately once on the ground. We also put berries out for other birds, but I've never seen a robin eat any. Robins seem to much prefer insects and other meaty food, at least in the spring. They also pick some of the worst places to build nests, as they are always losing their eggs on windy days.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

@@JasonW. I wonder why they don't eat the berries you put out. They LOVE berries.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

If we get a severe cold snap after the Robins arrive, I'll see them on bird feeders. But they gotta be desperate.

[@davidrzonca7690]

Thanks for your knowledge

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Well, the knowledge came from a website I subscribe to run by Cornell Labs. And it was fun to share it. Thanks for commenting, David.

[@wlieu12]

@@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME your narration, diction, pace, and video capture are superb.

[@ant-1382]

Nice little video. Were at the peak of robin season now. Spring on Vancouver Island. Love to hear that chorus of song when I get up in the morning, it's so cheerful and alive.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Yes, those Robins are early risers--to get the worm. I think their voices are mellow. Even their scolding is okay, not shrill.

[@larrymccuen7373]

oh man, when you said earthworms aren't native to this continent @3:30 I almost fell out of my chair. That can't be right! a quick search revealed that there is a species of earthworm around the great lakes region that came from Europe, but worms are native everywhere there is good ground. I dare say that if there had been no earthworms on this continent it still wouldn't be settled by man, it would be a dry barren wasteland.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

I'm no expert on earthworms, but here's what I found: Little-known secret: Almost every earthworm in most of the U.S. came from somewhere else. Native earthworms all but disappeared more than 10,000 years ago, when glaciers from a Pleistocene ice age wiped them out. A few survived further south. But today, virtually all earthworms north of Pennsylvania are non-native. New earthworms began entering North America as early as the 1600s, with the first European settlers. They crossed over in root balls or the dry ballast of ships. As the British, French, Spanish and Dutch colonized the American continent, they were largely oblivious to another colonization going on under their feet. European earthworms thrived in the upper soils of forests and gardens. Native earthworms, if there were any, remained deeper underground. In the end Europe’s earthworms established an empire that would long outlive any built by its nations. Many of the earthworms most common in gardens today, including the familiar red worm Lumbricus rubellus, trace their origins back to the Old World.

[@larrymccuen7373]

@@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME HAHA I love it! This is what happens to me on you tube, I watch a video about a robin listening for worms and end up researching younger dryas impact hypothesis! Thanks for your video and your reply 😀

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

@@larrymccuen7373 curiosity is a wonderful trait - and sometimes a minor curse.

[@jazjaz130]

I assumed it was vibrations, not sound! Beautiful footage and informative narration, thank you.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

My pleasure. I was fascinated by what I learned about the Robin's technique once I went looking for information. Thanks for commenting.

[@MrKorton]

This robin looks and behaves a lot like the redwing (Turdus iliacus) here in Iceland during worm searching. The colour is totally different though.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

I don’t know anything about the Icelandic red wing. But since they are both of the genus turdus, it wouldn’t be surprising for them to have lots of behaviors in common.

[@La-ChaunLaChaun]

I'm glad you stopped by to have lunch! It was great to meet you. I know something about robins.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Hey LaChaun, you DID leave me a comment. And I agree with you about me stopping by there. I enjoyed meeting you. Did you mean that the movie taught you something about Robins or that you already knew something about them? I’m guessing it was the first thing I said. So you barbecued for lunch. Did you have fish to fry for dinner?

[@YvonneSebastian1980]

Great footage.. and very informative.. but the best part is the most talented narrator.. yes you!! Sorry I missed a couple of videos ( watched but left no comment).. thanks hun.. much love..❤️☮️

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Well, it’s nice to see a comment from you again, Yvonne. You’re going to make me blush with all that praise, but I enjoy it too. Thanks.

[@kevinbreckenridge6729]

Finding worms is easy, I want to know how they pull an entire worm from it's hole using a sharp beak! Try and get an earthworm out of it's hole with your fingers!

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Yeah, I've been surprised about that too, Kevin. I guess we'd be able to do it if we had long, sharp, strong fingernails. (And if the soil was moist.)

[@janohare916]

This is fascinating, Jo! Thanks so much. 😊

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Isn't it?! I had a lot of fun learning about how Robins do it.

[@romalea]

There have been an incredible amount of robins around my campus this spring, sometimes I just stop between classes and sit there watching them hunt. I love them, they're adorable.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

I totally get it. When I’m supposed to be filming other versions for upcoming movies, I’m tempted to just watch the Robins.

[@DanSantanaBows]

Wonderful video. You are a delightful explainer!

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Aw, thanks, Dan. I appreciate the compliment.

[@arnoldzilban8274]

Really, how cool..! Seeing Robins do ground work like some hired landscaping inspectors--it never occurred to me that it is their equivalent of us hitting the steak house!

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

OMG, they DO act like hired landscaping inspectors, don't they? That was fun.

[@milfordcivic6755]

I had 3 pairs of Robins around my property this spring and 1 set of Catbirds. All of them had broods, 1 set of juvenile Robins and Catbirds have stayed behind. The juvenile Catbirds are so curious and funny, plus we play the mew game. The bird keeps going 1 octave higher a few times, then changes to the nonsensical songbird medley.

[@georgiacopperhead4947]

Great video as always 😊🐦👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

thanks, Georgia, especially for the "as always" part.

[@georgiacopperhead4947]

@@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME I only said it cuz its true 😊

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

@@georgiacopperhead4947 ☺

[@waltp.1173]

A great video. I actually learned a few things that I didn't know. Thank you.

[@yuvgotubekidding]

Can you explain how earthworms were brought here by Europeans?

[@lauriejerome9179]

Oh, how I love your posts!! So wonderfully visual and the writing and narration is superb!! Love those robins.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Wow, I couldn’t ask for a more generous compliment, Laurie. Thank you. As for the compliment to the Robins, I don’t think they really care. 😉

[@Madasin_Paine]

One of the most wonderful moments in bird watching with surprises, from the home window, was, when several Robins kept chasing off the far more numerous, yet smaller, stylish looking maxed Cedar Wax Wings. They all wanted the same seasonal red ripe Pyracantha berry supply. Around and around they went. When one group of waxwings were chased off, another nearby away team flew in and ate those berries like mad, only to b chased off too. Repeat, repeat, repeat. Not too violent nor any feathers flying off. I wondered if this was the derivation of "round robin" ‽ The way I notice waxwings are their many peeps in flight and moving about, and the way the rise and fall as they circle the skies, in large clusters, going from tree to tree, and or tailing American Robins. Years later I saw bunch of 20 or so waxwings in those bright big gold flowers of the large Tulip Tree. News to me they like that tree, too, but them I don't see thos trees much but never thought to look for them there. A good lesson. THEY both can eat tremendous amounts of those bright orange and red berries,day after day, until most nit not all berries are gone. Then as quickly as they reappear each year, they are gone. Not sure it reaches the volume of yards of worms. Food, for thought. A welcomed new, quality informative entertaining video. Thanks.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

I’ve seen what you are talking about, Madasin. Two. Much. Fun! A year or two ago I made a movie about cedar waxwings demolishing the berries on the holly tree. The robins weren’t happy about it. But I didn’t begin filming until most of the robins had given up. Still, you might want to check that one out.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

I took a look at the Redwood Coast channel. Lovely slomo of an avocet feeding. In the last year and a half, I've gotten into slomo video too. I keep meaning to get off our property and film shorebirds and ducks in super slomo. Watching that clip reminded me of what's out there for me to film.

[@Madasin_Paine]

RUBY RUBY RUBY BABY Humming Right A Long... kzbin.infoy6HyBugo3ic?feature=share

[@cjyoung7372]

The most interesting fact in this clip is that earthworms were brought to the America's by Europeans

[@amystarstimulusandcrypto4303]

This is beautiful, Jo.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Thanks. I love to film Robins and I found the info about their hunting strategies intriguing.

[@rexforestwanderers]

This is awesome! Thank you for the video!

[@johnpender358]

I love seeing Robins around. They are really cool birds.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

True, true, true.

[@ilknurtuncer1712]

💕

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

🤟

[@absorbed-in-nature]

About gagged when I thought about swallowing 14 feet of worms! Great research and presentation! --Greg

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

I'm sure a Robin would be mighty puzzled by your gag reflex. But anyway, from now on I'll bet you watch them differently than you used to. I was intrigued by all that I learned about them, and I enjoyed passing it along. Thanks for commenting.

[@blaze0rama]

Robins all seem to share embody this nonchalance! They nest where you can easily see the babies. When the babies fledge, they don't care if they fly into you and cling to your clothes or hair. Watching them eat in such a manner surprises me not at all! Thank you for another wonderful and informative video! 🪱

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

I think nonchalance is an excellent word to describe them. Yesterday I was walking along a mulch path with a female robin ahead of me. She just kept hopping enough to stay three or four feet ahead of me for, I don’t know, 40 or 50 feet? For a bird, that is nonchalant.

[@mellie4174]

Earthworms are not native to the americas!?

[@the.original.throwback]

Jurassic VelociRobin is a first class predator! Glad they're not 12 feet tall!

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Agreed. That's what my husband and I always say about our cats.

[@HiddenAgendas]

So science still doesn't know how birds finds worm and how the Great Pyramids were built!

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

What I want them to figure out is how to reverse climate change.

[@anthonyshepard1407]

Miss these adorable Robins, just seeing one makes me follow and watch their hunting skills

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Robins are so common that people look at one and think, eh, just a Robin. But their hunting skills are remarkable.

[@brookestephen]

most robins are feeding young, and they also eat bugs. Everything they eat, they can regurgitate, including baby poop, which they carry quite a long way away from their nest.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Yes, I'm aware of these activities too (and even talked about many of them in a movie about bringing up their babies). But since this is a video about how they find worms, I had to skip the topics you mentioned.

[@lxcas5401]

I’ve got multiple robins and different kinds of birds that live by my house. they come to my house every morning for my bird feeder and bird bath, and if they are out of food they wait in the trees or fence and watch me fill both back up.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

It sounds lovely. And whatever birds you’ve got coming to your yard, you will probably find that I have made a movie about them. Thanks for commenting.

[@JackiMareena]

My yard is so riddled with earthworms that when I walk it sounds as though I'm walking on a waterbed as every step I take causes the worms in the immediate vicinity to hide which prompts the ones further away to hide causing a wave like reaction which sounds like walking on a waterbed... I've taken videos and even Had The Weather Channel investigate it... now I know why there are always Robins in my yard and they never ever visit my feeders... it's because they prefer the worms

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

What a story, Jacki. Interesting. And nobody knows for sure why you're so "blessed"? Is there any downside to having so much food for the Robins?

[@callmechia]

I’ve always enjoyed your videos. I always learn something. Earthworms aren’t native to North America? Wow.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

I was shocked about the earth worms not being native too, hadn’t known that before. I always learn a lot, same as my viewers do. Anyway, thanks for the compliment.

[@MegaLivingIt]

Amazing! Always wondered about that. Thanks for your video. 😊

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Have fun passing the knowledge along to other people once in awhile.

[@UnwindingNature]

Beautifully presented and informative. I learned many new fascinating things, and by far the most amazing was that the robin ingests 14 feet of worms per day.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Yes, I know, 14 feet of worm a day?! That might be enough protein for me--if I were willing to get my protein in that form. At least it would be cheap.

[@rogerdudra178]

Greetings from the BIG SKY. I've watched these birds hunt worms in my garden for hours. Robins are good worm hunters. It's a good fight, too. Nightcrawlers.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Glad you as a Robin aficionado enjoyed the movie so much.

[@fokkerd3red618]

Several years ago I cut the grass where I was living. The yard was 10k square feet. When ever I started mowing with the push mower, it wouldn't be long and the Robin's would be on the grass getting worms. I suspected it was the vibration from the mower driving the worms to the surface. Is this assumption correct?

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

I don’t know for sure, but it seems like a pretty good guess to me.

[@mmiikkee7777]

Holy Schmoley! What a great video. Thanks, Jo. Robins are such bizarre little creatures with so many diverse behaviors. I am fascinated by how they are normally solitary meat eaters and then at some point join up with a mob of vegan berry hunters and go a-rampaging through the city. I have a cherry laurel in my backyard and look forward every winter to the "Day of the Robin" when they descend in their teeming masses and eat every berry. It is such a feeding frenzy, that you can climb into the tree with them, and they don't even shy away.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Thanks for the compliment (and for quoting myself back at me). Well, we don't have a cherry laurel, but we do have a ton of winterberries, and I just walked away from a window where I could see snow falling and probably thirty Robins flitting and bending down to snatch the berries. FUN! In fact, three years ago, I made a movie about them eating berries that I know you'd like if you haven't already seen it: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jYm2XqGXntOMnM0si=idClltWtdz3qZN_9

[@jayanolik1947]

I just spotted a Robin in the grass at a short distance away , it stood there frozen for about 2 minutes then it suddenly turned its head at 180’ it took two leaps at about 10ft away! before you knew it it had the ( i think it was a caterpillar ) , im amazed at how acute their hearing is

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

I know what you mean. It's easy to think of the commonplace Robin as a bird we already know about. But there's so much more to them than meets our eyes.

[@alularussell778]

Excellent. I always wondered and now you've explained it so well. Thank you.❤❤❤

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

You're welcome, Alula. I was fascinated by what I learned as I researched this video.

[@shaunakclark1605]

Thank you so much for your video. Fun, informative, and beautiful. Thanks for making my day better!

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

My pleasure, Shauna. thanks for taking the time to comment. I like knowing I made someone's day better.

[@MurrayPeeps]

Even our so-called boring birds are anything but. Amazing facts in this video. Thanks for sharing!

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Yes, I think they’re only boring because all of us have seen them so much that we think we know what’s up with them. As if!

[@Maaaatttttt]

I was looking at a robin earlier and thinking about it. I said something hi robin and here we are. It recommended it. Stop invading my privacy. Stop invading my thoughts

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Were you attributing the "stop invading my privacy" to the Robin? If so, I'm sure you're right. They're not interested in being friends. (But they are remarkably tolerant of human presence.)

[@acmund]

I have theorized that when they stop and look around, right after catching a worm, they are looking to see if any other birds saw it. They are worried another bird, blackbirds especially, will come snatch their worm or hunting spot. I do the same thing when I'm walleye fishing...lol

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

The nice thing about theorizing about bird behavior is that they won't contradict your story. 😉

[@pauldow1648]

Near Tampa,Florida first week in February flocks of robins used to show up in our yard to feast on trees that have blank seeds the size of peas. In twenty years time the size of these sighting have severely gotten smaller. I hope the robins can survive.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

I don't know why your flocks would have gotten smaller. We've got plenty of Robins around here in St. Louis. So many other bird numbers have declined, but I'm hoping that the Robin numbers at least will hold steady.

[@aquanettajohnson52]

I love watching them hunt from lawn to lawn . I leave out oranges & jelly. My next door neighbor puts out old bread, the other birds gobble it up.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Do the Robins eat the oranges and jelly?

[@andrewwhite1576]

The robins in my yard jump like a fox and stab the ground with their beak

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

If I had thought to compare the Robins to a fox jumping, I would have. What a perfect description. Thanks for commenting, Andrew.

[@evanm6739]

A robin has built a nest right next to my window and it’s eggs just hatched. I’m worried there’s not enough worms in my yard what should I do?

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

If it were me, I’d do nothing about it. I’ll bet there are enough worms, and even if there aren’t, they eat all kinds of other bugs. I mean, I suppose you could go buy mealworms, but I doubt it’s necessary.

[@user-qr8ki8ue4i]

Up here in the PNW, I know spring has arrived when I hear the first robin chirping at 6AM.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Nice way to wake up, isn't it?

[@Pazuzu4219]

One of my favorite things about Birds is when they bop Their head and hop lol. That and their sounds.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

I like the way they hop too. That's why I included one shot of a Robin hopping toward the camera. I also love to watch them run. How DO they get those little legs to move so fast?!

[@mg10500]

You deserve millions more subscribers you’re great.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Thank you for both your comments. I like hearing from someone who agrees with me about how many subscribers I ought to have. 😉 Since those millions haven't materialized yet, I'll just keep doing what I do and enjoying hearing from people who get my sense of humor and appreciate my style. Thanks again.

[@williamkuhns2387]

From what I understand robin's can hear worms underground. You see them turning their heads to one side next to ground.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Yes, that's one of the points I made.

[@seamus9305]

Very good. Always wondered.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Now, not only do you know, but you can tell anybody else who might be wondering. 😉

[@franosbornblaschke3694]

Very nice presentation! Love the Robin!

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Thank you, Fran. And as for loving the Robin, what can I say? You're not alone.

[@andylucas1175]

Great vid' and beautiful filming.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Thanks. Love to hear that!

[@Gocrybozo]

Everything makes me think of her😅

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

I guess I'm slow on the uptake. Care to clarify your meaning for me?

[@Suchomimus65]

Great video! Love the footage and narration

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Thanks. I appreciate you taking the time to comment.

[@JasonW.]

I've seen my backyard robins appear to jump on the ground a few times, then sit still for a minute, then grab a worm out of the ground. I always assumed the robins were vibrating the ground to make the worms come to the surface. I've also seen robins get into deadly fights with windows, so I don't put much into their intelligence.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

I don't remember seeing Robins jump the way you describe, but your assumption about the vibrations sounds good to me. As for their intelligence, there's a reason we call someone a bird brain. Then again, they're (usually) good at knowing what it takes to survive.

[@JasonW.]

@@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME When they continually fly directly into the same window time and time again until they break their beak or are very bloody, I can only assume it is a reflection they are fighting.

[@michaelbarcz326]

T G for mute option!!

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Well, your comment did prompt me to listen to the first minute or so. No, it doesn't need to be muted, but if I were doing it today, I'd pick up the pace and ease up a tad on the drama. I doubt you meant to be helpful, but you actually were.

[@michaelbarcz326]

@@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME oh noo,, it was to help ( the viewers). I like to watch my birds ( feeding) in silence. That's the reason I love nature - no human interaction 😂

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

@@michaelbarcz326 Okay. But you missed some valuable information. (And I would think that if you prefer no interaction, you'd watch the movie in silence--without comment.)

[@michaelbarcz326]

@@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME ok stop comment trolling and go watch your birds

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

@@michaelbarcz326 Good one!

[@peterwaksman9179]

Many robins in my yard drag their wingtips. It seems part of the worm hunt.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

As far as I have been able to gather from reading about it, the dragging of wing tips isn’t part of worm hunting. That’s no guarantee that it isn’t so, of course. There’s always a lot we don’t understand about birds and how they operate. I’ve certainly noticed how their wings hang down, but what that tells us about them I don’t know.

[@peterwaksman9179]

@@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME They often do have their wings folded neatly; so I conclude that wing dragging is a deliberate behavior. I thought maybe they are sensing vibrations.

[@kellydavis1633]

The first time I watched a Robin pull a worm from the ground, I was amazed!

[@JoeMurphy-x2d]

Really cool mam! Preciate it!

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Glad you liked it, and thanks for telling me so.

[@ehsansabaghian5617]

I found this video out of my curiosity watching robins feeding from pale grass and never understood what is there that they feed on. I got all my answers and I also found an amazing channel.

[@jillz1542]

Isthere a way to Discourage blue birds, while Encouraging Robins to visit my trees, yard?

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Not that I know of. It's an unusual question, though, I gotta say. Are the bluebirds doing damage of some kind? Or is blue just not one of your favorite colors? 😉

[@jillz1542]

@@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME they are aggressive and chase other birds away , eat the dragon flies that I guess I won't try to attract anymore, either. 😑 They're very territorial and are always occupying abt 4 yards for sure and "out there" too . Bullies.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

@@jillz1542 Well, I knew you must your reasons. I just haven't heard those complaints before (and we don't happen to get bluebirds in our area).

[@tymz-r-achangin]

Even if an ornithologist didnt say how a bird detects worms, we could still believe what youre saying :)

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Sure, because it all makes sense, doesn’t it?

[@tymz-r-achangin]

@@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME Yes mam. Absolutely makes sense

[@aliciaandfam1111]

Birds are cute

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

True.

[@silentlou4375]

Great stuff. Over the years, not sure there’s been a time when after I dig up some ground that a Robin doesn’t appear there soon after.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

When I said that Robins have allies in finding worms - moles and rain - I might will have added gardeners.

[@silentlou4375]

@@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME Haha yes or anyone with a shovel, hoe, or rake. I’m continually amazed at the opportunistic nature of wildlife.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

@@silentlou4375 Same here, silentlou. Same here.

[@44kat]

They hear them

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Yes, the robins do hear worms. I mentioned that in the script.

[@alenescoblete5540]

Great video!

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Thanks, Alene.

[@ritathomson9764]

Interesting.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Thanks.

[@riverbender9898]

Always a pleasure to see your latest opus. Thank you for sharing.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Hiya! It’s always good to hear from you - especially if you’re going to say nice things about my movies. Thanks.

[@riverbender9898]

@@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME Haha! You're just saying that because it's true.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

@@riverbender9898 True, true.

[@johnculbert1927]

very kool

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Yes, people tend to shrug and say, "Eh, just another Robin." How wrong they are.

[@SimplyGobsmacked]

Fourteen feet of worms a day?!?! I don't think I can ever look at a robin again without that little tidbit popping into my head. 😂 I love your videos, Jo. This one gave me a few chuckles. Thanks for sharing.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

I love to be the one who simply gobsmacks you. 😉

[@laurend.tamayo2186]

Thank you for this video. I moved from Illinois a couple of years ago and oh my gosh how I miss the Robin, my favorite bird!

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Did you move to the West Coast? They only get a few once in awhile. If I lived there, I'd miss Robins and Cardinals most of all.

[@worfoz]

..and the blue violets in that lawn are amazing too! Viola sororia?

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

My husband--the gardener around here--keeps trying to kill them, but I like them. Wild violets is all I know about the species.

[@worfoz]

@@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME 😄 Yes, gardeners... I know, I am one of them. So I know about our "species" Homo Gardenensis Killalltheweedus. I'm from Europe, our robins and our violets are slightly different. Tried to introduce V. Sororia's but over here they won't survive. Viola sororia is the most common violet of eastern North America tho. It has no odour but it has a sweet, nice taste and its flowers also look nice on cupcakes and pastries. 😋

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

@@worfoz thanks for starting my day off with a chuckle.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

@@worfoz I didn't see the paragraph about violets until now. The info almost makes me want to bake a cake and decorate it with violets.

[@WellaWally65]

It’s ALWAYS so good to hear from you, Ms. Jo. Thank you for this video. Six wonderful minutes of these beautiful Birds. I am so amazed at how they have “this eye” for Worms, when I see them catching them on my Backyard. Stay healthy and blessed, beautiful friend.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

And it’s ALWAYS good to hear from you, Wela, Wally. I thought about you yesterday and wondered when you would be weighing in with a comment. Stay well and blessed yourself.

[@WellaWally65]

@@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME Aww! Thank you! 💝💝 Well, I see your amazing Videos right there and then, the moment you share them with us. But, I always watch them on my TV where I can’t comment. Lol! I do it from my cellphone later on. We love you very much! Please stay healthy and safe! May the Good Lord bless you and all your loved ones. 💝🫶🏼🙏🏼

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

@@WellaWally65 That's nice that you watch them on TV. A bigger picture is better. 'Til next time.

[@WellaWally65]

@@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME Yes it is! And, I pay for no adds! Okay my dear friend, I hope it’s sooner than we expect. Take care! 💝💝

[@TheCreep144]

You left out their lesser known hunting assistant, myself. Whenever I am about to embark on a fishing trip I grab the garden hose and flood the night crawlers out of the ground instead of trying to catch them at night when the come out to breed mainly due to how easily they can be terminally wounded by just squeezing them as hard as needed to wrestle them from their holes while trying not to rip them in half in the process, much of the times the Robins will see what I’m doing and if I act like I don’t know they are there they will come within a few feet of me to join in the fun. Sadly, the new owners of the trailer park are trying to make us all move to develop the land and don’t care about how many lives are destroyed in the process keep cutting down the trees that the birds live in like it’s no big deal. I’m getting to the point of not caring about whether or not I have to break the law to stand up for all the birds that these rich people are killing just to get richer. Birds used to be so abundant in the summer that their singing is what would wake me up in the mornings, but now I get surprised if I hear any at all. When they are heard it is usually because they are in distress. We truly are a pathetic species and I’m ashamed to be human because of it.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

You forgot to mention pesticides destroying the bugs they eat. Bug quanitity is down 75% in the last forty years. The ability to reason is the defining quality of our species, but the ability to comprehend the big picture so that we don't destroy the planet? Not so much.

[@joeskis]

okay but why the constant transitions to another bird doing the same thing as the previous one? Just stay on the shot of that one bird for longer. The constant wipes is annoying and distracting.

[@JTA1961]

X wife's name is Robin & she too was pretty good at gobbling up on this worm...

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Imagine a good far from my end of the conversation, Joel. I don’t mean to laugh at a failed marriage, but that comment was not what I was expecting. Thanks.