Pl. V
The Birds · Plate V
American Robin
Turdus migratorius
Turdidae · Taxon 12727
| Length | 20–28 cm (7.9–11.0 in) |
| Wingspan | 31–40 cm (12.2–15.8 in) |
| Weight | 77–85 g (2.7–3.0 oz) |
Field marks
- Large, round-bodied thrush with long legs and a fairly long tail
- Warm rusty-orange breast and belly, usually contrasting with darker upperparts
- Dark gray to blackish head; females and immatures are generally paler
- Yellow bill, often with a darker tip
- Pale eye arcs or broken white eye ring; white lower belly and undertail coverts can show clearly
HabitatOpen woodlands and forest edges, shrublands, fields and pastures, and human-altered green spaces such as gardens and parks; uses trees or shrubs for nesting and fruiting vegetation for seasonal food.
BehaviorGround forager that runs or pauses upright while searching for invertebrates; often flicks its tail after landing. Feeds on fruit as well as animal prey, and may gather in flocks around berry-bearing trees outside the breeding season.
Palette
rusty orange breastcharcoal-gray to black headslate-gray back and wingsyellow billwhite lower belly and undertail