Let's Talk About American Robins

I'm finally ready to have a conversation about American robins. Here it is.
Subscribe to my channel: / @lostinthepond
- Support me on Patreon: / lostinthepond
- Follow me on Twitter: / lostinthepondus
- Follow me on Instagram: / laurence.m.brown
- Follow me on Facebook: / lostinthepond
- Visit my website: www.LostinthePond.com

[@UmatsuObossa]

Robins are so common as a kid i thought of them as the "default" bird. Like every other bird was a special 'flavor' of bird, and the robin was just "bird". That said, they are delightful. I like how bold they are, that they don't fly off just because they've seen you. They wait until they're pretty sure you're coming their way and wait for you to get fairly close even, often preferring to walk out of your way rather than fly.

[@LimeyLassen]

Even the blue eggs are very "the color you would expect a songbird's egg to be"

[@christiebreeechelon]

I feel like pigeons are the default bird. Guess that's because I have never lived anywhere where they were abundant.

[@nowthatsjustducky]

@@christiebreeechelon For me, sparrows are the default bird; adorable, but brazen little buggers.

[@sheilagustafson7362]

​@@nowthatsjustduckySeconded. Sparrows are the fabric of reality.

[@pinstripe4254]

Omg same

[@robing35]

Hello from an American Robin. My name is Robin

[@phonyzebra3848]

Hello Robin

[@BadgerBotherer1]

Male or female?

[@ddwro1]

I was going to say the same thing lol

[@adoxartist1258]

Hey Robin! 🙂

[@RC-gc8yo]

Robin here too.

[@violagreene4643]

I find it interesting that robins are associated with Christmas in Britain. Here in the US, cardinals show up in a lot of Christmas imagery. Or at least they used to. I don't see them much anymore, but they were a definite presence in cards, wrapping paper, and gift tags in my childhood.

[@kellidinit3725]

My bird feeders always have food in them in the winter especially for the cardinals. We have a set that hang out all the time. Though I do occasionally have to tape a piece of paper to my window because the male keeps trying to fight his reflection.

[@trishapellis]

And they are *gayyyy* That is a joke, but I've been told a) that the cardinals on US Christmas cards tend to be red, even if it's two cardinals (implying they're a couple), and b) that female cardinals are orange, not red... so all those cardinal 'couples' on Christmas cards are either gay, or... brothers? I personally find it funny that the UK trend of putting robins on Christmas cards has crossed the pond, at least into Belgium where I'm from, even though we never had red-coated postmen and as such we never had a way of knowing exactly where the association came from. I just thought it was a purely aesthetic choice, because robins look extra good against a snowy backdrop with their red plumage or something. And it has to be said, robins are one of the few types of songbirds that stick around throughout the winter, and they are indeed both easy to spot and very pretty against snowy backdrops. For me, the robin is synonymous with winter like the swallow is synonymous with spring.

[@violagreene4643]

@Trisha Pellis most of the examples that I've seen that weren't just individual birds were correctly colored breeding pairs. (And the females are more brown/tan than true orange ) Or they were of large groups, so there is less tendency to think of "pairs".

[@jerryadams6799]

Though beautiful; cardinals are too stupid to survive as a species. They nest in bushes about 3 feet off the ground in neighborhoods infested with scores of feral cats. inevitably their young are killed each time they build a nest and they try 3 or4 times each year down south. Never learning to have their nest in a more secure location. Even when humans try to fence off the nest for them the cats will find a way in. Beautiful but extremely stupid.

[@kellidinit3725]

@@jerryadams6799 here in Ohio they do just fine. They obviously do survive as a species, as they are nowhere near endangered.

[@monkeybarmonkeyman]

One spring, a pair of baby robins showed up into our garden. At the moment, my wife was gently watering the garden with a hose... so it being very hot out that day, she created a gentle shower for them. Immediately they both turned to face her and looking up into the shower, started drinking the water while they did a bathing dance. This went on for days and days, dispersed across the late spring early summer. Finally they reached their 'teenage/early adult' age. They visited less frequently then were both gone, off on their own lives. The following year, they returned to nest.

[@merriemisfit8406]

I keep some trays in my yard with water in them, usually about an inch deep and cleaned semi-regularly. The robins and, to a lesser extent, sparrows and chickadees get in there and just go nuts. I've told people that Disneyland is NOT the happiest place on Earth -- the water tray by the front of my garage is! Squirrels and stray cats also stop by the trays for sips, which could be cause for concern over the safety of prey versus predator. But I really try to set an example by my own actions as I do the daily yard work, since watching is an important way animals learn. As the stray cats lounge in the yard, catching shade and watching for any indication that I might be going back toward the house (inside which are kitty treats), they see robins and squirrels casually working the yard for goodies, approaching to within a meter of me, and I do not attack or "aggress" them. Plus, my vigilant presence seems to be a deterrent to attacks from birds of prey, circling and reconnoitering high above. Peaceful coexistence is worth working for on any scale.

[@sandhermit3665]

Robin's tend to follow me around my yard because they know I will be turning on the sprinkler. Sometimes they just follow us to sing at us. Last year we had one sit in a branch over our heads and sing. We moved to the front yard and it flew to another branch above our heads and sang away. It's not the same reaction the cat gets when she wanders through the yard...they are more agitated and shrill.

[@weaver_of_myths]

The friend in your yarden is a male robin due to his black head and extremely red breast. The females have a gray head and more subdued red body. They switch to eating fruit over the winter when worms are unavailable :)

[@CAMacKenzie]

The robins I've seen around Southern CA must be females. The shape is the same but the breast is a duller orange-brown. I had assumed that it was just that they were the local variety.

[@SeekingTheLoveThatGodMeans7648]

Call that robin Robin?

[@bigscarysteve]

Assuming fruit is available during the winter.

[@idoc-2]

@@bigscarysteve The birds in our area in the Midwest eat berries and unpicked fruit off the trees in the winter, such as berries from Hawthorn trees, and crabapples.

[@CaroleWillett]

Hah, jeez... I just typed the same thing wo/seeing this. ^_^

[@christinemerritt974]

Every time he says “Yarden” instead of “yard” or “garden” It makes me giggle. 😂❤

[@EpochUnlocked]

It is an old word for earth/ground. Midgard= Midyard= Middle earth/ground

[@LungsOutJem]

Fun fact: "Red breasted robin" has been a common description of robins for hundreds of years, despite the fact that most robins have orange chests, not red. The reason is because that term is older than the English word "orange," so orange used to be considered a shade of red.

[@ADADEL1]

Years ago I was watching a video about a Japanese person's first time in the U.S. The comments were full of people talking in Japanese about some exotic and stunning birds (thank you google translate) and I was really curious about what they could of possibly seen. Turn out it was robins and cardinals, which are basically everywhere. Equal parts let down and given a reminder of how where you are decides what counts as exotic.

[@suchnothing]

I'm from Edmonton Alberta, and one of the most common birds there is the North American magpie. The city is so famously infested with them, they've become a mascot at this point. When I was in university the newly arrived international students from Asia would always spend the first few weeks of term stopping and exclaiming about the pretty birds, they were absolutely enchanted by them. It was kind of funny to see. All the locals and more experienced international visitors would just chuckle and be like "yeah you'll get over it once you find out how loud and obnoxious they are". They really are beautiful birds though if you cover your ears lol. If you've never seen one look up some pictures or videos. I've heard Australians have a similar experience with cockatoos. Visitors love them, and in other countries people keep them as pets, but in Australia the locals have had it up to here with their bullshit 😂

[@SlavicCelery]

@@suchnothing Lord knows we all feel that way about Canadian Geese.

[@suchnothing]

@timsoen lol I dunno, I feel like even if you've never seen a Canadian goose, you can see the hate in their eyes. And even if you're too dumb to see it, you get anywhere close and they let you know. Magpies look beautiful and majestic and magical for a while, until an entire posse of them wake you up at 5am with a nice group screaming session. Or a group gangs up on your dog or cat and harasses them just for shits and giggles.

[@SlavicCelery]

@@suchnothing I just meant we were all done with their bullshit.

[@chocolatefrenzieya]

Cardinals ARE stunning, after all. :)

[@marthaanderson2656]

One of the rare American Robins to make it to England appeared in Mary Poppins and sang with Julie Andrews in the Spoon Full Of Sugar scene. Disney could not help themselves.

[@mellie4174]

This comment!

[@stevethepocket]

The funny thing about that is that some pedant on set complained to Walt that it's a male robin and that male robins apparently don't sing. Ironic that this self-proclaimed bird expert didn't catch that the species doesn't even belong on that continent in the first place!

[@joedellinger9437]

It escaped from a chalk drawing…

[@dawne6419]

Well, not like Mary herself would have known the difference. In the books, she mostly called all birds of a certain size "sparrers" (sparrows), IIRC. The bird that most often visited the nursery was a starling. One of her few flaws.

[@danniantagonist]

It was actually two males at the nest in the film. American robins, unlike British ones, display sexual dimorphism. So the Disney classic actually gave a shout out to the political football of homosexually in nature. Good work!

[@CharlesGriswold]

You should call him George. Hugging him, petting him, and squeezing him is optional.

[@LindaC616]

😅😅

[@RodBeauvex]

I don't know. Looks like if you squeeze him he'll explode. He should probably cut back on the worms a bit.

[@thehorrorfanx]

That’s a good one! Looney Tunes was my favorite!

[@silverjohn6037]

Boomer check without saying it's a boomer check;). Millennials have been denied the benefit of the classics.

[@Yesquire0]

Naw. "George" is a bunny rabbit name.

[@ccrider3435]

Five years ago, I found a baby robin on my daily dog walk. He was out in the open and there were crows all around. I sat an waited for mom for over an hour but didnt know what to do. Didnt know if I moved him, the mom would reject him or what. Because of the crow threat, I ended up taking him home, with the intention of being his surrogate. I called our local, wonderful wildlife rehabber and she sent someone over to my house to get him/her ASAP. Within and hour, he was out of my hands. I felt terrible because I was just getting excited about being a mom and the baby was absolutely gorgeous. I checked up on his progress until he was grown and one bittersweet day, I gotta call saying he is free. Just couldnt believe how emotional and spiritual my brief encounter was. Today, they were all around me singing.. and I had to wonder if he was there with the group. Fly robin, fly.

[@debayeuxchats5607]

I feel the need to add, for anyone else who's as charmed by this as I am- raising a native baby bird yourself, in the US, is illegal. OP needed to call a wildlife rehabber because regular folks will be committing a crime! Nevermind how easy it is to hurt baby birds, even with experience feeding them. But, if you have the urge to help and the time to do so, one can go down the path of being a rehabber to help cute critters in the future. :)

[@AllStraysAreWelcome]

My two favorite things about robins: the way they tilt their heads when they listen for worms, and how they're the first birds singing in the morning and the last ones singing before sunset.

[@petejohnson8397]

I enjoy the head tilt too. Head tilt, very still, then a lightning quick stab.

[@Arizonabada5597]

The American robin is the first bird you start hearing in the morning. They usually start about an hour before sunrise and chirp all the way until dark.

[@gaileverett]

They have a nice song, kind of like Cheerio, Cheerio.

[@kevinjohnson1139]

And when I leave my window open, they all roost in the nearest trees and chirp me a symphony.😃

[@charliewhon6548]

Other than my husband’s dang rooster here in Alaska who starts crowing at about 3am after about mid March until about August. 😂 Hearing the robins in spring is one of my most uplifting moment every year; then and the waterfowl as they return for nesting. It all means spring is finally here and the snow will all be gone within a few weeks of first hearing them.

[@chemislife]

I'm actually more familiar with an Eastern Whippoorwill seeing as my work and late night gaming have turned me into a night owl.

[@-joe-davidson]

In central Texas, it's usually the dove that I hear first thing in the morning.

[@CountyLeaks]

My dad placed earth worms he purchased on a slab under the robin's nest. Then he'd go in the house, sit and look out the window just like you do, Laurence. Within a minute or two, the show began. The robin would swoop down, pluck a worm, then take it to his/her babies. I loved to watch my dad watching the robins. ❤

[@glenmoss02]

You have or had what sounds like a good man for a father. Nice story.

[@narlycat]

Every time I see you with your dog I see you walking him on a leash which can be good for training and outside your yard you need a leash (for the dog not for...who do you think i was talking about?) but since you have a fenced in "yarden" I hope you are allowing Arthur a chance to flex his legs and run loose in your "yarden" he will really enjoy that and it's a way to get your dog to do potty when you are too lazy...I mean busy to take him out. It's also a way to tire him out when you get too lazy...I mean busy to get him some exercise.

[@kkrolf2782]

Glad you, and your father as well, enjoy robins. Having grown up in the midwest, robins are mostly thought of as “WEED BIRDS”, as every where they land, in truth, even in full flight, they POOP E V E R Y W H E R E!! I didn’t miss them at ALL when I moved to the southwest, but, lo, they are merely supplanted by DOVES as the “weed bird” species down here!! ☹️ 😖 🤷🏼‍♀️

[@catherinelw9365]

My Dad used to make peanut butter sandwiches for nuthatches. He'd chop them into little pieces, then stuff them in the tree bark, then watch the nuthatches come racing down, pulling the PB sandwiches out and eating them. It was so cute.

[@mzunnurain]

They get a handful of dried meal worms every morning. They wait for me on the patio.

[@kelliatlarge]

As an American bird watcher, I approve of this episode ❤

[@nowthatsjustducky]

As also one of the above, I approve the above approval. :D Love the little skyflowers. That includes our local sparrows and blackbirds in addition to the robins. The crow neighbors would likely take offense at being called skyflowers though. :D

[@marceld8961]

@@nowthatsjustduckyI love birds so much my favorite is the Northern Cardinal.

[@oddjam]

As an dual-citizen who grew up in both countries, i cannot overemphasize how spot on these videos are.

[@karenj4854]

One time a robin got into the greenhouse where I worked and couldn't get himself out. He kept flying upwards but was confused by the clear panes of glass blocking him. We created a "trail" on the floor of raisins and dried cranberries and he gobbled them up, moving down the line, until he was out the door!

[@lurji]

the hamster in your pfp looks just like mine :3

[@luckybassturd7260]

🤔 I’ve never seen robins eat feed? I Always thought they were predators… Googled it- they will eat apples & berries but not bird feed ,grain or dog food! Haven’t had robins in my backyard for 5 years? 😢 ✌️🤟🤙

[@karenj4854]

@lurgi Aww! We are lucky to have such adorable animals in our lives!

[@chocolatefrenzieya]

Oh a piece of candy! Oh a piece of candy!

[@robertgoss4842]

That sounds like something that would work for me.

[@daricetaylor737]

We had one day when a large flock of migrating robins crash landed in our neighborhood following a rather nasty storm. The flock was gigantic and we literally had thousands upon thousands of robins everywhere! They were covering every branch of every tree, in every bush, the sidewalk, roads and yards were literally standing room only!! I wish I had time to get to my camera for a picture, but by time I got it, they all in one single moment leaped into the air and off they flew across the houses into the next neighborhood. It was a special sight to see, I was blessed to have witnessed this once in a lifetime event and I will never forget how beautiful the sight was to see!

[@naturalnashuan]

Cool! When there is heavy rain earthworms leave their dens to avoid drowning. With enough sudden rain they sometimes do die in large numbers. Some bugs that live underground, like Trapdoor Spiders, also come to the surface in a storm. That would explain your opportunistic robin flocks.

[@bdyt]

My dad started a tradition of who would spot the first Robin to come back after the Winter which would mean that Spring wasn't too far away. Dad's gone but the tradition lives on and i look forward to it every year.

[@ExistenceUniversity]

Typically, the Robin is the same one from last year too. Three years with my Robin family this spring.

[@warriormaiden9829]

We have the same tradition! Unfortunately, ours was spotted while there was still 3 feet of snow on the ground, and we wound up having 3 weeks of temps fluctuating from a high of 35 to a high of almost 80. 😕

[@JohnSmithAprilMay]

Yeah, definitely a tradition here.

[@stevenschnepp576]

The "first robin of spring" is... not a new bit of folklore.

[@Jessie-fz2bl]

Robins signal spring when they arrive and signal fall and the coming winter in fall when they leave .

[@AnodyneJS]

American robins may be quite common, but they're still one of my favorite birds. They're a nice bit of color if you don't have a lot of nesting trees on your property, or don't set out seed to lure colorful songbirds in. They're also very industrious. When they're around, basically from the beginning of March into October around here, so long as we don't get a significant drought, they'll likely be the first birds that you see as day breaks, and the last ones out at nightfall. Likewise, they'll stay out until it is absolutely pouring rain, and be some of the first to come out when torrential rains subside. Have to admire their hustle to get those worms.

[@nowthatsjustducky]

We finally have them visiting our property. Previous years, hadn't seen any within a 3 block radius. I'm guessing the local Bird Council finally approved the establishment of a robin clan for this section of the neighborhood.

[@WalterWhiteHeisenburg69420]

Robins that survive their second year usually live to be 5 or 6 and the oldest robin ever was 14. I bet that one went to many different destinations around the world.

[@josephpadula2283]

I was on a container ship going from Bremerhaven Germany to Norfolk, VA. When passing through the English Channel two pigeons flew aboard and stayed. They were banded so probably were racing pigeons . They never left! We fed them and gave them water the entire trip over. When we got to Virginia the ship was given back to the government and scrapped . The pigeons flew off and I imagine some ornithologist got a PHD based on his paper when he found two pigeons that flew the Atlantic !

[@drnukka8895]

Usually they have numbers or some sort of ID symbol on them- we found a dead stock dove and contacted the owner… the saw the tuning get decapitated by a peregrine who proceeded to just drop the corpse and keep the head.

[@nortyfiner]

I served in the US Navy on aircraft carriers. We often had pigeons or other birds as stowaways in the rafters of the hangar deck. What they lived on when we were out to sea, I have no idea.

[@vh5449]

Upper Midwest dweller here. My great grandmother (German immigrant) taught all of us the saying, "The robin has to be snowed on 3 times before Spring is officially here." Basically, from the first time you see a robin in the spring it needs to snow 3 more times. I'm curious if anyone else's family had this (or a similar) saying, and would love to hear from anyone living in Germany.

[@Logan_93]

Robins are so common it's crazy. Their eggs are such a beautiful shade of blue as well.

[@PlugInRides]

Earthworms are your garden's best friends. Far from being a pest, earthworms both aerate and return nitrogen to the soil.

[@kendrickwood7174]

Also worth noting that they are an invasive species from Europe. Considering the theme of the channel

[@kathleenharsha6504]

And they make your lawn lumpy bumpy.🤨

[@brynagleich6223]

@@kendrickwood7174 Only some are invasive. Others are native. About 33% are introduced.

[@davidcosta2244]

​@@kathleenharsha6504 Your lawn needs to be aeration to keep it health, and aerator breaks up the thatch layer so the lawn doesn't get choked.

[@kathleenharsha6504]

@@davidcosta2244 They still make it lumpy bumpy.

[@schrodingerssquirrel6973]

The Amarican robin has a soft spot in my heart. It's one of the first signs of Spring here in Minnesota.

[@gudrun5531]

same! Definitely the sound of the first robin of the year catches my attention.

[@RandomDudeOne]

A few years ago in Minneapolis I saw some Robins in January, just didn't seem right.

[@jimsteele9261]

Same here in Michigan. They say some stay all year, but I seldom see one until March or so.

[@jerelull9629]

Around here, it's the Mourning/morning dove". There are 3 or 4 around this side of the house today. Love their calls. I'm waiting for our resident catbird or mocking bird to appear this year. Whatever species it is, it has a great repertoire and seems not to repeat itself as he calls out from midnight to dawn most mornings perched on our chimney.

[@schrodingerssquirrel6973]

@@jerelull9629 I love mourning doves. They're such gentle birds. They drink like deer.

[@Sustain.Able.Future]

There was a robin in my old backyard that I called “Brando” bc it was the fattest bird I had ever seen. I simply could not fathom the logistics of its flight. Also, I absolutely LOVE how you say, “Back yarden,” a lovely mix between the two. I might begin saying that as well.

[@Beth-ie]

Had the good luck of a nest popping up right outside my window, in a tree only 20 ft high. Mama bird found a nice crook and I was able to see 3 blue eggs turn into 3 weird blobs turn into spiky things turn into fluffy chicks turn into feathered birds. All in 3 weeks or so...and then they fledged. I got to see the last one go. Good parents! It was the perfect height for me to sneak out my camera whenever no "grown-ups" were around. It was an amazing experience that I will never forget... and will continue to look for every Spring and early Summer. Love their song. Thanks, Laurence!

[@suzannehawkins383]

so, Im in Canada. I'm a wildlife photographer. I was visiting London specifically for photography; had a couple of cameras and several lenses with me. I'm serious about my birds lol. I was staying in a hostel in central London. one of the other women in my dorm room and I were talking about photography and wildlife and birds and such. she showed me a photo she had taken; her best, she was quite proud of it. It was a ROBIN, she announced. I looked at it, I squinted, I said 'very nice photo!!', all the while saying to myself, that's no robin lol, what is she on about. Well, I decided to google robins, yup turned out she had captured a lovely photo of a European Robin. Huh, I'm very glad i didnt to correct her. And I learned a thing or two about robins and humility.

[@antman5474]

UK robins don't fear humans unlike other birds. They'll take you on if you piss them off.

[@antman5474]

UK robins don't fear humans unlike other birds. They'll take you on if you piss them off.

[@anndownsouth5070]

We have a Cape Robin as well. They are not red at all. They are not red at all. They are sort of olive green and have orange breast. They are very shy.

[@kray3883]

​@@antman5474"don't fear humans like other birds" Do you have bluejays?

[@antman5474]

@@kray3883 haven't seen one for a long time, most corvids I deal with are jackdaws❤️ and crows❤️... and Gulls. Gulls are super smart and if you piss one off they don't forget. They make good precision bombers, do not underestimate the Gull. I learnt the hard way.

[@J3scribe]

One of the wildest (literally) sights I've ever beheld happened on a warm June night in a neighborhood near Lincoln Square in Chicago while sitting on the front porch of my sister's home. Male Robins by the hundreds took to rooftops and branches high up in trees, and the tops of line poles and the lines themselves; then by one of those miracles of Nature, they all began singing the same bird song at the same time at the same moment. And it was LOUD. There were thousands of birds throughout the area. And as the early morning hours ticked along the cacophony slowly decreased as the females of the species chose their mates. This phenomena lasted three nights; same routine, same time, same timing. By the end it was a little sad because you were listening the bird song of those individuals who weren't chosen.

[@markfisher7962]

Ah yes, as Sir Joseph Banks called them when he first saw them, the rufus breasted thrush. When I read that, I knew exactly what he saw, but somehow his name never caught on.

[@Lynn-kh5rs]

3 days, wow! I was able to see 100s of Robins once in my life. It was around the middle of Feb. in S. Indiana and I'm assuming they were migrating has we hadn't seen any in KY yet. They were in several decorative trees that had berries.

[@jerelull9629]

Some mornings decades ago, they'd take up residence in the copse of trees just down the hill from our school bus stop. Kinda interesting, but then Hitchcock released "the birds". Frightening from then on.

[@lorrilewis2178]

The end of your story has now made me sad. 😞

[@J3scribe]

@@lorrilewis2178 That means you havea good heart. 🙂

[@sallysmith8081]

I live in a rural area in Ohio. Every early spring tons of male robins show up en masse. This year I counted at least 20 at one time in the back yard. I've heard the males come to scout out good nesting spots. Not sure if that's true or not, but we always have a couple robins' nests here and there in the nooks and crannies. I think most people see them as a happy harbinger of spring weather on the way. The one that showed up in Laurence's back yard was a real beaut.

[@ladykoiwolfe]

The American robin is my favorite bird. I'm glad you've come to appreciate them too. I was surprised some time ago when I found out European robins were a completely different bird.

[@genachattin]

Another person whose favorite bird is the (American) Robin! 🥰

[@Listening_Books12345]

I love how much Lawrence loves birds. There's something so charming and wholesome about ppl who watch birds 😊

[@nowthatsjustducky]

He should check out Leslie the Bird Nerd here on KZbin.

[@stardust949]

As an official "senior citizen" American, who is not a city-dweller (except for those few roaming years in my 20s), I have seen approximately one billion Robins...or the same Robin one billion times. At any rate, I truly enjoyed your video---and I never knew for all these years that our North American Robins are members of the thrush family. Thank you, Lawrence!

[@ryanvess6162]

A billion is a tad excessive as far as estimates go

[@gtbkts]

I've got a whole flock of them roaming my neighborhood. If I were to count each individual time a robin flies by one of my windows outside and I see it as one sighting, I'd see almost a thousand robins a day. Its the same 20 or 30 robins running around, so actually the number of sightings is a lot less than a thousand, but they're active all day and it feels like a thousand robins are at my house a day. Any bird feeder I put out is gone in an hour.

[@HoLeeFuk317]

There very common here in Wisconsin. I see them every day crapping all over my deck.

[@flamerollerx01]

How wholesome. Greetings sir, or madam.

[@carenann918]

Lawrence, this was fantastic. I love your nature photography. I can't believe you left out the fit where you talk about the fact that American robins can hear earthworms moving in the soil and when you see them walking in the grass and tilting their head, they are listening for the worms. It is such an amazing idea that they can hear the sound of earth being moved aside by those worms. I am in awe of them.

[@wwiiinplastic4712]

You can actually hear it yourself if you lean your ear very close to the ground when you have a moment of real quiet. It is a challenge as the sound is very faint but it can be done if you are patient (and you have a decent worm population). When my area was attacked by pine beetles years ago you could hear the larva chewing inside the bark it got so bad. Little bits of sawdust would mist down from the branches.

[@daprimitives]

As a deer hunter in western Pa, I know for a fact that robins don't all migrate south. They tend to flock up in the woods where there is plenty of food and cover. Once in the woods, they tend to wait until daylight to start moving around and make enough noise rustling around in the leaves to wake the dead.

[@sallybruska1499]

Where I live in Central Illinois we always look for the first robin because we know spring is coming. Although sometimes they come back a little to early and they get their tail feathers frosted (this is something my mother used to say). Anyway we all look forward to seeing the first robin of spring.

[@gudrun5531]

In Minnesota it's the same thing, I've learned to notice the first robin of the year by its sound. Though actually the earliest one is sometimes in February which seems too soon, definitely by March they're all coming back.

[@erics607]

About 3 years ago, the robins never left for the winter. I live in southern Wisconsin, and remember seeing robins flying around during a snow storm. Then a few miles from my house there is an oil pipeline where the ground doesn't freeze over, and whenever I drove past that area, there were at least a hundred robins running around when the temperature was in the teens.

[@vtcs1963]

There’s a Romanian saying that (loose translation): One robin doesn’t make it springtime!

[@kathywiseley4382]

I'm also in central Illinois and we've had robins in abundance year 'round the past few years. Mostly males. I've also noticed that they don't sing in the winter.

[@pfcampos7041]

Here in WI too. It is the first sign that Spring is near. It gives me that extra boost of hope to get through the last vestiges of a Midwest winter.

[@catherinehubbard1167]

Just as recognizable as the American robin’s appearance is the way they move. They seem happiest on the ground, looking up to scan for unwelcome company, then bending over to find and eat worms and bugs, then doing a darty little quick run in one direction and then another. No other bird I know of moves like that. It’s charming. Adding to their adorability is the way they are seen as a welcome sign of spring. They arrive before flowers are in full bloom. But there are the darting robins around the yard, reassuring you that winter really is on its way out no matter how cold the wind may feel. Here in New England there are huge numbers of migratory birds moving through in early spring, many of them warblers and other songbirds. They are singing their hearts out as the robins bob and dart about. That’s the way spring is announced, and it lifts the heart. The early flowers begin opening, wave upon wave. It’s too early yet for my favorite, lilac, which scents the soft spring air wonderfully. In this area they come in all shades of purple all the way to white, and the Boston Arboretum has an annual Lilac Festival when their extensive and varied lilac collection is in full bloom. Wonderful!

[@mousefire777]

It took me a few years after moving to the Midwest to figure out that I loved robins. I love how they kinda compress a little when they run and decompress when then stop. And they’re pretty, and they make cool noises

[@chrisball3778]

The European Blackbird behaves in a very similar way. This isn't really surprising as they're both members of the Thrush family and are much more closely related to eachother than either is to the European Robin or the Red-Winged Blackbird.

[@cxx23]

A bit off topic but we have these little birds called "killdeer" where I live, and they are super cartoony in how they run around on the ground like they're about to run from Wile E Coyote. They are also very aggressive and will chase you down on foot if you get near their nest.

[@chrisball3778]

@@cxx23 Kildeer are plovers. They are ground nesting birds, and are known for their behaviours designed to keep predators away from their nests- the running around and the aggression are two sides of the same coin. In Europe we have a plover called the Lapwing which is called that because it's known to feign injury in order to lure predators away from its nest. Birds are amazing, and so is all nature.

[@DamonNomad82]

My ex was from Las Vegas, where robins are not commonly seen (worms aren't very common in the desert, I guess). When she moved to the Upper Midwest with me, she was fascinated by robins, cardinals and other birds that are common here.

[@preckles]

If you want a chance to see them in the winter, plant juniper bushes. I just learned this past winter, that they will eat things like juniper berries in the winter. They switch from worms to berries. I saw them in our juniper bushes in the middle of winter, along with a few Cedar Waxwings. Thought that was strange, so I looked it up. Apparently Cedar Waxwings will stay around Robins in the winter. If you haven't seen Cedar Waxwings, I hope you get a chance; they're beautiful.

[@juliamcwilliam]

Oooooh Laurence, now I've got "When the red red robin comes bop bop bopping along" stuck in my head

[@robertamckeon5082]

As a teen I grew sunflowers to see if I could harvest the seeds. Before I could get to them, so many birds I'd never seen before started feeding on them. Been a bird watcher ever since.

[@janetstonerook4552]

I always grow a row of tall sunflowers just for the birds to enjoy.

[@Aurora-pi6jr]

When I was very young I had a squirrel steal the head off of one giant mammoth sunflower I grew, man I was so mad 😂 but nowadays I probably wouldn't mind

[@sieglindesmith9092]

When I lived in Portland, Oregon, we had two large Linden trees on the side strip. In about March, before leaves came out, flocks of Robins sat in the branches to warm themselves, all facing the setting sun. Made me feel happy - also because I have a niece named Robin.

[@singerofsongs468]

American here! I have always wondered about the origins of songbirds on Christmas decorations - our Christmas aesthetic, especially among older generations in the US, is very Victorian. One thing I should remind the UK viewer is that the US is quite ecologically diverse - the songbirds that are the subject of this video are generally found all over the continent, but other bird populations vary wildly depending on your locale. For example, California has a number of different species of native Hummingbirds, whereas the east coast only has one. The east coast also attracts migratory shorebirds in the spring and summer, because horseshoe crabs come to the midatlantic region to lay their eggs, and the birds have a layover en route to the Arctic and need to refuel (and bulk up so they can grow their own eggs once they arrive.) In just my state, you can find temperate forest, salt marshes, bald cypress swamps, a brackish bay, and part of the Atlantic shore. In others, there’s desert, mountains, swamps, grasslands, and old growth forests. There are *so many cool birds to see here.* If you made it this far, tell me about your favorite bird! Is it native to your area? Is it just really cool? I wanna hear about it!

[@Hyper_Drud]

One time when I was driving to work in the afternoon I saw a bald eagle on the side of the road picking at some carrion. I believe this was around mid to late February this year in Mississippi. It looked a bit small to me so I figured it was a young one that left its nest not too long ago. Edit: my favorite bird is the Barn Swallow. We used to have a nest of them in our open garage.

[@miriamrobarts]

I live in California & we often see hummingbirds (probably mostly Anna's hummingbirds) in our yard. They are very cute. I watched one visit the blossoms on our orange tree a day or two ago, right outside my window.

[@naturalnashuan]

While in South Carolina in the winter I saw flocks of blue jays and cardinals swarm a golf course after a rain during a drought. That's when I learned that our Christmas card pictures of these birds in snow aren't quite right. Some of these birds range into New England in the Winter, but they're more "Southern" than I knew.

[@nightandfayeify]

My favorite native birds here are Turkey Vultures and Mourning Doves. They are so pretty to see and hear.

[@evelynwilson1566]

I live in Scotland and whilst I love spotting a rarer bird -saw a Bewick's swan yesterday, which only visit a few areas of Scotland, and according to my RSPB bird book should be well on its way back to Siberia, so I'm worried about it - I hope it makes it back there. I have to say it's the 'common' birds that I like best - woodpigeons and starlings (they seem plentiful but they're endangered) for their beautiful colouring and murmurations, blackbirds for their song, cheeky wee optimistic Robins who follow you about the garden. Sorry guys, I know European Starlings are invasive in the states and cause you all sorts of problems, so I feel a bit bad saying I love them - but they're just SO subtly pretty and the murmurations can be breathtaking.

[@jillynnrekowski3106]

I think it’s pretty cool that birds tilt their heads and listen for their prey moving underground (or beneath the bark of trees in the case of woodpeckers). Nature is so amazing

[@drnukka8895]

I think American robins and other thrushes will hit their head on the ground to mimic the vibrations that are caused by rainfall- and as worms breath through their skin they must rise to the surface during rainfall otherwise they’d drown.

[@naturalnashuan]

I've had dogs that listened to the soil for tasty earthworms.

[@lyndarina9839]

Don’t worry about Arthur bringing you a Robin. He can’t catch these extremely wary creatures. He won’t be able to catch a squirrel either. Kafka is another story. Armed with stealthiness and extremely quick reflexes, he could definitely bring you a “gift”. The neighborhood Robins are happy that Kafka is an indoor cat. Arthur is so cute. Great addition to the family.

[@jonadabtheunsightly]

Dogs can absolutely catch squirrels, but they do it by working together: one dog lays in ambush, and another chases squirrels toward it. They do the same thing with rabbits. However, since Arthur's pack mates are humans (and humans invariably have vastly inferior prey-stalking instincts), they may not know how to properly cooperate with him to enact this strategy. Well, there's also the feline, who probably has perfectly serviceable prey-stalking instincts; but when was the last time you saw one of them cooperate with anyone?

[@RRaquello]

@@jonadabtheunsightly We're starting to get foxes where I live and foxes are kind of dogs. They catch squirrels. I don't know if they work together or individually, but I know they catch them because they'll eat what they can and leave the rest for me to clean up. Always fun to find half of a dead squirrel in the back yard in the morning.

[@scallopohare9431]

@@RRaquello Uh, it might not only be foxes eating those squirrels. They sometimes cannabalize each other. Yup, shocking. I only recently dug into the subject after seeing a darling little red squirrel, American, enthusiastically chowing down on a bird.

[@kathrynjones1367]

Adult robins would be safe, but a dog could easily catch a fledgling on the ground.

[@CptJistuce]

Hahaha! Yeah, I've had solo dogs bring me presents before. I think this one next to me was actually a more effective hunter BEFORE she got a sister.

[@seankeikbusch9404]

I have a robin in my backyard that I named Fred. He comes out when I work in the garden. I started setting out worms and grubs for him and now he'll come within about 3 feet of me. I'll have him eating out of my hand soon I think. He's easily distinguishable from other Robins too because he has one white tail feather. Him and his mate have a nest right next door and I really enjoy watching them and talking to em.

[@theredknight9314]

In my back yard we have, owls, robins, hummingbirds, squirrels, a family of crows, and many many more birds along with wood peckers.

[@aaronpolichar7936]

As a birder, I love that you are talking about this. We don't actually get many American Robins where I live in Southern California, most years. But this winter, we had an irruption, and I personally saw hundreds of them, usually in large flocks. Your reference to blackbirds is interesting, as American blackbirds like the Red-winged Blackbird are not related to Eurasian Blackbirds, but are members of a different family endemic to the Americas. Also we have our own family of flycatchers unrelated to the old world flycatchers.

[@TurnipTroll]

As much as American Robins are a staple of Pennsylvanian backyards during the spring, one of my favorite to hear is the Red-winged Blackbird sit on his stoop and try to woo the ladies. Them and the Song Sparrows are the ones I look forward to during spring. However our Song Sparrows dialect seems distinctly different than the recorded ones I've heard and even ones that I've heard in person in just a county away. Blew my mind when I found out that bird have accents. It makes sense but still wild to think about.

[@corvidsRcool]

I saw my first Red-wing Blackbird last week! I've only had a bird feeder for about a year so I am but a newbie birder. I carefully inspect every black bird hoping for a Crow, but so far have only gotten common grackles and a few brown-headed cowbirds, so when I saw that Red-wing, I was so excited. I told everybody I know and nobody cared. LOL The only other bird that excited me so much was a male Rose-breasted Grosbeak who was just migrating through the area. Back on topic, I see tons of Robins around here but none as vibrantly colored as the one in Laurence's yard.

[@jayhom5385]

SoCal here as well, and while there are some small birds (esp. hummingbirds), there are a ton of crows and squirrels. The squirrels are fuzzy rats who will eat everything you planned to give the birds, and the crows are trying to decide to go all "Taxi Driver" on me while thinking of whether or not to stab me.

[@freewilly1193]

​@@jayhom5385 crows are usually thinking less about whether or not, and more about when. Best to pay the bird tribute tax and drop a shiny.

[@labhrais6957]

Birds; and nature in general, are so fascinating. I learn something new every day.

[@laurabustos6560]

Oooh Laurence, way to make my day!! I adore your bird videos!! You know, I think your yarden might possibly, probably even, need a bird bath. And maybe a couple feeders? Fun fact, here in San Diego county we've seen robins migrating through for the first time ever!

[@monicahamm3353]

San Diego is on the Pacific Flyway, we used to see them alot in San Diego in the winter and spring........ now we live just northeast of Sacramento, and they are here year round....

[@LindaC616]

Please put that birdbath or feeder within the line of sight of Kafka's windows

[@laurabustos6560]

@@monicahamm3353 we up in north county have only seen them the last 2 years. I wish we had them year round!!

[@monicahamm3353]

We have a lot of different bird species up here but two other notable birds (besides robins) are the California Scrub Jay (bright blue and light gray) and a real stunner..... the Yellow-billed Magpie........ black and white with a bright yellow beak.

[@JVic619]

San Diego also has a lot of green parrots, they're pretty... noisy!

[@deborahh2556]

Amazing how plump these little robins get. I saw them wintering every year in South Florida, engorging themselves on a berry tree next door until it was stripped of every berry. Sadly, the tree has been cut down. I remember remarking to my husband how positively fat they looked. So adorable. 💕

[@garguntoter]

Love the British humor and yours is top notch. You should get a best Brit award along with one of my other favorites Phil Harding.

[@robinclemmons7712]

Hello, Lawrence, from another American Robin.

[@auntlynnie]

I love your dedication to the term, “back yarden.”

[@MrVvulf]

He said it so many times, I grabbed my 1959 6" thick dictionary to check. Not a real word. It works as a portmanteau. I mean, we all understand what he's saying, which is the point of communication, but it's a bit too cutesy for me.

[@idoc-2]

Out of habit, he just can't give up the British "garden," but he's gradually learning to call it a "yard," so we'll let him blend them for a while! 😉

[@lukeh8891]

I live in Wisconsin, and my neighborhood is absolutely infested with robins every spring and summer. My dog used to chase them too, until he got too close to a nest and a mother robin dove at his head. Luckily, that seems to have scared him enough that he doesn’t try to rip my arm off every time he sees a bird 😅

[@justsomejerseydevilwithint4606]

You should, if you ever get the chance, see a Live Goldfinch. Absolutely BEAUTIFUL and they look GILDED.

[@timrosencrans7955]

The same situation applies to the Baltimore oriole. Which, as you may guess isn’t actually an oriole. Thus you must always refer to it as a Baltimore oriole. This technically means that you should refer to Baltimore’s baseball team as the Baltimore Baltimore orioles.

[@angiebee2225]

Good ole Baltimore Blackbirds.

[@jerelull9629]

"Bawmer, Merlin" is how *my* ears register the locals' pronunciation of the town. YMMV, of course

[@FlourishingFrog86]

I love American Robins! There are so many cool birds in North America. (I live in Texas so we have some super cool birds too) I highly recommend the National Geographic North American bird book!

[@deed5811]

Also a pocket bird guide for illinois area plus Sibleys Field Guide. Good birding binoculars are a must. Finding and Audobon Society group in Chicago area if you want fellow bird watchers helping you learn.

[@FlourishingFrog86]

@@deed5811 great idea!

[@tovoklore6356]

@@FlourishingFrog86 Have you ever sighted a Painted Bunting? Stunning plumage on those birds and they can be feisty. I've seen them chase off Blue Jays before. A rare treat to the eyes. I was lucky enough to have a pair come to our house every year at the house in Oklahoma, but my first sighting was by Lake Leon in Texas when I was 5.

[@FlourishingFrog86]

@tovoklore6356 Oh no, I wish! It's definitely on my list since they should be here right around now!

[@deed5811]

@@tovoklore6356 One of my favorite bird feeder shenanigans moment was another bird getting the best of a blue jay. A house sparrow didn't appreciate being chased away by the blue jay. A few minutes later he flew up behind the jay and hovered behind it briefly like a hummingbird. Poor blue jay took off in a panic 😂. I've never seen another sparrow do that.

[@zombiedoggie2732]

Once an American robin nested under the eves of the support group I used to go to weekly. Seeing the babies pop their little heads out under mama or papa's wing was the cutest thing.

[@barryklinedinst6233]

When I see the first Robin in my yard every year I thank God spring is on the way

[@katelacey8857]

When I was a kid in the US a long time ago I learned the full name of this bird as "robin redbreast." I stlll sometimes call them robin redbreasts. They were said to be the first sign of spring.

[@elyzsabethahne2116]

Little robin redbreast sitting in a tree. Up went pussycat, down went he. Down went pussycat, and away robin ran Said little robin redbreast: "Catch me if you can!"

[@Cricket2731]

Robins can also spend the entire winter where they live in the summer.

[@MyogaSama]

I support your idea of putting a bird feeder outside to draw in more attendance for Nature's Cinema.

[@dl7596]

myotaku, "I support your idea of putting a bird feeder"

[@amarketing8749]

Except they also draw mice and rats depending on the area. Plant a bush with berries the birds can eat instead. They can eat a lot of berries that are toxic to other animals.

[@barbaramatthews4735]

The last bird feeder I put out, fattened the squirrels. I didn't feel too bad they have to eat too. They seemed to like the bird mix better than the birds.

[@ekcheck4266]

I used to be a proponent of feeding the birds until I learned about the unintended consequences of bird feeders. In our area of the US, we have been asked by wildlife organizations to NOT feed the birds, in an effort to help stem the spread of the deadly avian flu. Residents have also been requested to remove their bird feeders as they entice bears into closer contact with humans. In Laurence's case, not only will smaller animals be drawn to the scattered seed, but larger predators will be attracted to existence of prey. Arthur would be no match for one of Chicago's 4,000 coyotes.

[@mikeynth7919]

A Cat Entertainment Device.

[@CalliopePony]

When I first read "The Secret Garden" I always pictured an American robin (the only type I was familiar with) living in the garden. When I got older and learned that English robins are different I realized that I had been picturing the book wrong all that time.

[@rookiedog1]

Funny to see this a day after 3 baby robins left the nest 3 feet from my bedroom window yesterday. On my nature cinema I watched from the building of the nest, the hatching and the feeding. I was amazed at how fast they grew and how well they flew when they left. Now I'm stunned by the nest full of crap I have to clean up today.

[@dominicwroblewski5832]

If you want to attract and photograph Robins I would suggest picking a spot in your yarden where you want to photograph said Robin and wet it down with the yarden hose. The water will cause the worms to rise to the surface and the Robins will feast.

[@devlyn873]

Great timing...as I am currently banned from my backyard or even going through my back door by a robin that's built its nest over my back door for the second year in a row! 😜 Every time I open the door to let my dog out I get a jump scare in the form of her flying straight at my face!

[@burghbrat3319]

They will do that! We've got a porch robin (male) and he absolutely thinks my front porch and all the yard surrounding it belong to HIM. He'll scold and menace any and all 'intruders' who dare set foot in his territory.

[@nathanwahl9224]

Yep, and it seems generational. You can provide some incentive when they first start building the next by taking the parts down; eventually they'll figure it out, build somewhere else nearby, and build there from then on if you're lucky.

[@gobosMommy]

we have them in our ceiling fan on our porch. right next to the front door. we get dive bombed too...

[@CoffeeCupVT]

A harmless way to dissuade the robin from nesting where you don't want it is to hang a bright red cloth (we use a long sock) within about 10' of the area they want to nest. After many years of trying to dissuade robins from nesting on our air conditioner, which is 2 stories off the ground, this did the trick.

[@scot60]

We have the same situation with purple Martins. We can’t go out back without getting dive bombed

[@101steel4]

I don't often see a Robin in my garden in England. When I do it's a treat. Wonderful.

[@alkggkla5643]

Robins are wonderful birds! They really appreciate a birdbath, and it's super fun to watch them in it!

[@hannahpense9973]

Bird-watching is one of those hobbies that gets more fun the more birds you happen to see. I have been setting up bird feed on my classroom windowsill for the last month, and we have had many visitors, including sparrows (European and American), titmice, juncos, cardinals, gray squirrels, and most recently, mourning doves and blue jays. I didn’t think my students would get too excited, but they do, every morning when a new one arrives. We keep a chart now to track which birds visit us every day.

[@MusicalJackknife]

I came across a similar naming mix-up last year when I discovered the box elder, a fairly common tree here in New England. It's called a box elder because settlers thought it looked like an elder tree and its wood looked like boxwood. In reality it's nothing of the sort, it's a type of maple, only with leaves that don't look like maple leaves. What's ironic is that since its wood is so soft, the box elder is unfit for much other than crates or boxes so the name fits in a different way.

[@pdxjill]

We have been inundated in recent years with boxelder bugs and all this time I didn't know it was named after the boxelder tree. I thought it has something to do with its shape. We don't have boxelder trees in the Pacific NW.

[@MusicalJackknife]

@@pdxjill Interesting, I know they're also called split-leaf maples or three-leaf maples

[@ShayTheBean]

Yes! There are also box elder bugs, which are often called maple bugs. They are considered pests but I think they're kind of adorable, like the robins of the bug world. Similar colouring, too!

[@MultiTimelady]

I am so glad when the robins migrate back up here in the Spring. And they have a beautiful birdsong

[@Logan_93]

"These adorable little ***** migrated-" LMAO

[@inthelionsden6335]

One of my favorite things about growing up in Illinois was the variety of beautiful, colorful birds.

[@VeretenoVids]

I miss Baltimore Orioles. Saw them all the time growing up in central IL. Since moving to PA years ago I've seen exactly one. That said, we get more goldfinches at our feeders than I ever saw in IL. Tradeoff?

[@scot60]

Lawrence, I live in Midlothian Texas. The reason it’s named after a Scottish border town is because the Scot who settled the area said it reminded him of his home Midlothian Scotland. I’ve been there. They don’t resemble each other at all. In Scotland I wore a sweater in August. In Texas you wear a bathing suit and shorts in August. The point I’m making is a lot of settlers from the UK missed their homes and decided arbitrarily to name animals, locations, etc after stuff back home. Don’t try to make sense of this, just go with it.

[@redstonebrain40]

I've gotten super into birds this year, mourning doves, robins and grackles!!! Loving the urban wildlife!

[@dancepiglover]

A lot of robins tend to come out in the early evening. So that is the best time to look for them.

[@bukharagunboat8466]

Conversely the American Robin is closely related to the UK blackbird, whereas the American blackbirds are unrelated to anything in Europe. There are other examples. Goldfinches for example; the US bird is very different in appearance, but still a finch. In Illinois if you are homesick you can always come up to northern Lake County and see the naturalized European goldfinches.

[@TheTinkerersWife]

Arthur is still full of puppy exuberance and wonder if he may have some bird dog genes in that wiggly frame of his. In NW Oregon if there is food available, Robins will stay around nearly the whole year. We love seeing them in late winter here because it's a reliable sign winter is over. The european Robins are much cuter than ours are I must say. Robins like meal worms so if you wanted to toss some into the yard in the area you see them most they will hang out more maybe. They are fruit eaters too, as in Holly berries, which here have become weeds thanks to the robins spreading the seeds around. It's a lot of fun hearing your joy in showing us the birds you discover.

[@robinbliss6513]

I’m an American Robin and I appreciate your love and I love you back, even your cat and dog.

[@jeanniemainzer8551]

The robin is my favorite bird. The herald of spring and such a friendly, cheerful bird.

[@hodgeelmwood8677]

Robins are my favorite of all birds! I know spring is coming when the robins appear again. They also go a bit nuts because mating season is short, so be prepared to hear them out there singing at 2 or 3 in the morning! I think they work in shifts :) Enjoy the birds and other wildlife in your nature cinema!

[@LC-le9ew]

It’s about time you discussed the difference between US and UK robins! ❤❤❤

[@mickaleneduczech8373]

This year we had a huge influx of robins in southern California and they even turned up in areas where we rarely see them. We always get them up in the hills, but never down by the coast. But this year we had gobs of them.

[@Lonesome__Dove]

I grew up birdwatching with my grandpa who at the time was a DNR officer (wildlife commission) we banded babies and kept track of them in a big book. Been a birdwatcher ever since. Do it every single day.

[@monkfan72]

I know that twice in my life I have witnessed ( and recorded) a huge number of Robins settling in a tree/bush, in an event that was not dissimilar to the crow scene in Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds".

[@RRaquello]

We get that around where I live I've seen that more than twice. There's a time of year and a couple of particular trees where I see that every day. It sounds like there are about a thousand of them in there. They make quite a racket, but it's cute.

[@MichelleA81]

Oh my goodness! 🥰 What a beautiful birdie. I love robins. ❤️

[@johnbogle6475]

Just a quick tip. As long as you have worms in your yard/garden, If you water it really well (nearly flooded) or if it rains that much, The worms will come to the surface (rather than drown). Within a few minutes of shutting the water off, Robbins will come to feed (yea they really like worms :). Happy bird watching.

[@NetVoyagerOne]

In the Northeast US, robins arriving is the first sign of Spring, along with the snowdrops and the return of Canadian geese.

[@zaxchannel2834]

They're the most common 'backyard' bird. I see sparrows, jays, doves, and cardinals occasionally but 9/10 it's always a robin. They never leave either. I once saw one burst out of a small bush that was covered in snow. They also universally like using my mailbox as a toilet

[@LJBSullivan]

The only Robin, bird I've seen here in winter was frozen stiff.

[@broken4096]

I've not seen robins in Texas since I left Ohio years ago. About 4 weeks ago, we were overrun with them for about a week. Then they were gone. Migration is my only explanation.

[@derrickbarney8731]

Some really old advice about American robins from my elders, is that when they start singing their goodnight song in the middle of the day, that means it might rain soon

[@grindstone4910]

The excitement at seeing a robin in your backyard is just too pure

[@FourFish47]

Wow, European Robins are beautiful! You shouldn't have to sit all day waiting to see a Robin. You should see one within 15 minutes 😊 Enjoyed this very much. Thank you!

[@joshburcham8466]

I love watching birds here. (From north Mississippi) We get lots of different types of birds. I found it interesting that in Britain robins are used for Christmas cards. In America, (to my knowledge) it’s the cardinal. It’s good to pay attention to birds, too. You can tell when weather is about to get bad based on their behavior.

[@loisdannenberg6178]

I sometimes have Robins nest on my front porch. I like being able to look out the window and see them incubating eggs and feeding the nestlings. I even got to see one of the young birds take it's first flight. They can nest on my porch anytime.🙂

[@MissJBradford]

I grew up in Washington state, where gardeners love the robins. They are the harbingers of spring. Western Washington has a few weeks of wildly fluctuating weather (march-end April) that ping pongs between snow worthy temps to sunny 70F. Then one day you wake up to a massive chorus of Robin song, and you look out the window to see them blanketing the front lawns in the hundreds looking for worms. These birds are remarkable at timing their arrival to exactly the moment the fluctuations are over and there will be no more freezing nights or snow. My whole life I've only seen the robins wrong once. Robins=safe for gardeners to plant their new baby plants without the fear of frost damage.

[@Jeff_Lichtman]

Robins used to be the most common birds where I live, across the bay from San Francisco. I hardly see them any more. I suspect the crows chased them off.

[@KlaxontheImpailr]

Can you show us the difference between african and european swallows next?

[@BadgerBotherer1]

Swallows migrate from Africa to Europe, and back, so they are the same bird: the Barn Swallow, Hirundo rustica.

[@robine916]

@@BadgerBotherer1 It's from Monty Python and the Holy Grail💕

[@EasytheGoon]

​@@BadgerBotherer1what is the terminal velocity of a unladen swallow?

[@karen6477]

They grab coconut husks differently.

[@robine916]

@@EasytheGoon 😁

[@pumpkinporter1108]

I love feeding the birds & squirrels in my yard! Robin's are the only ones to do all their own hunting unless they grab a few meal worms I put out. They are the beauty of springtime!

[@upinarms79]

Robins and similar songbirds love suet cakes. You can buy them at a lot of garden supply stores, as well as suet cages to put them in an hang them from trees or posts. You can actually make your own, but the ones you buy tend to have mealworms and millet and other things made into them that wild birds absolutely love. Unfortunately, so do squirrels so good luck with that, but if you get a good hanger cage, at least they can't run off with all of it at one time and it gives the birds a chance to get at it as well.