Just wondering about that elusive blue egg laying bird, seer of the Sping, builder of mud and weed nests…
Every year without fail these orange bellied birds return to New England, forseeing the coming spring. Unlike the large Geese who fly in the telltale V pattern when they migrate north and south in plain sight, these robins just seem to show up?
Anyone know whay they don’t fly in huge flocks north and south every year? I only ask because I saw my first Rogin today, and I was psyched to have Spring so close…
I’ve remarked upon something similar before – when I was a kid (not that long ago, in the 1960s) we used to see VAST flocks of migrating birds in the fall and spring. There would be virtual “rivers” of birds, with well-defined boundaries to either side, running from horizon to horizon, both north and south, and they would be going for hours in an unbroken stretch. I don’t know what kind of birds. You could hear their distant sounds, though.
I haven’t seen anything like this in years. Something significant has changed, I think, in the ecosystem.
When I posted this before, someone asked “Was it a V-formation? Did it come to a point at its head?” This completely misses the picture I’m trying to paint – there was no head. The front of the “formation” passed over hours before I looked up, and the flock would still be going by with no end in sight.
If those birds are still around, how come we don’t see their migrating flocks anymore?
I hear the flocks of passenger pigeons were even bigger, covering the sky at times.
You’re to far north :). In fact the can appear in dense flocks:
From the warm southern states the Robin starts northward every year, often in flights of impressive magnitude…“They came from a southerly direction, and were constantly passing, alighting and repassing, on the above dates, the general movement being in a northerly direction. The air was full of them, and their numbers beyond estimate, reminding him of bees. Mr. Knowlton heard that this movement of Robins had been noted from a distance of ten miles away, across the flight.”
However, in relation to their arrival in New England in early spring…
It is not spectacular; the great gatherings of the South have thinned out before reaching New England, leaving only small flocks of wild, wary male birds, which wandfer restlessly about the country, perching in high trees, or feeding in neglected fields or, more commonly, in the cedar pastures where they pluck off the berries.
The above from Life Histories of North American Thrushes, Kinglets, and Their Allies by Arthur Cleveland Bent ( 1949, 1964, Dover publications, Inc. ). The quoted observation of a huge flock was in Florida by the way.
Bascally they can start in impressively large flocks ( though not as bunched as some smaller birds, like blackbirds ), but those flocks aren’t cohesive and disintegrate bit by bit as the move northwards. By the time they get to New England they are travelling singly or in small groups and you likely just don’t notice them arriving.
Oh and in relation to CalMeacham’s comment I should add that the Florida observation was from 1897, so not any time recent. It is likely many birds have declined substantially as habitat have degraded and the U.S. population has increased.
Now Robins in general were/are an exception to that rule, expanding greatly in numbers as forests were cleared, as it offered superior foraging opportunities for them and they seem to be a tolerant and adaptable species. However there was a big decline in certain areas in the 60’s from DDT ( supposedly ), though they recovered. Also in some urban areas pesticides ( especially lawn pesticides ) remain a problem. Overall the Robin is still doing pretty well, though.
With regards to Cal - I live in CT and the birds you are referring to are - I think - starlings. When I was a kid, in the 70’s we’d see huge, HUGE, flocks flying over head. easily 500,000 birds. No joke, I know the flocks you speak of. But I do believe those were starlings. I live next to a corn field, and it is pretty interesting watching the behaviour of these mass flocks. Reminds me of … a singular entity, a living organism in and of itself.
If they were indeed starlings, then I’m not sad to see them go. Starlings aren’t native, and rapidly overfilled the continent. They have a reputation for being gregarious, dirty birds.
Are European robins different to American ones? . The reason I ask is the ones we have here do not migrate but hang around winter and summer. The are a most welcome sight on a cold winter’s day and they become very tame especially when I am digging the garden . They come close to the spade to grap the worms. I have heard that they are very territorial and will fight to the death any other robins that stray into their patch. This does not sound like the sort of bird that will fly around in large flocks. The robin is also the national bird of ( I think ) England although it could be the whole of the UK. They also feature on many Christmas cards.
European Robins are very different from the American version. European Robins are round, plump and have a short neck. They are also smaller than American Robins. European Robins are much more timid as well. They are the national bird of Britain. Very pretty birds…
We have robins most of the year in NE Mississippi. Note on the map on siberia’s link that one of the reports of robins before February was in south central Mississippi. That is a neat link, I will be sending them a report next year.
Here in Michigan I saw rather large flocks of them returning this year, (earlier than usual - they’ve been here for weeks already) but I rarely notice them leaving. I usually see the flocks when they are resting in trees, not flying.