We had a winter flock (at least 60 or so) of American Robins roosting in our backyard trees recently and eating the berries. I've really come to appreciate even the most common of birds, especially the robins. These robins stay in their breeding range throughout the winter season roosting in trees and woodlands.
The male robin (who wakes us each morning with his song!) has the striking orange/red belly and a dark grayish black head. The female is a lighter shade of the male in both the belly and head. The juvenile (below left) tends to have a speckled orange belly with some gray spots and also has white on the covert feathers.
The main food source for robins is berries, however, when you see both the male and female foraging on the ground for worms in the spring and summer--the reason is because the worms are the main source of food for the chicks in the nest. The adults have to feed their young about 100 meals a day!
Here's another juvenile below gathering a berry.
The American Robin really is the quintessential morning bird cheerily chirping away to awaken us to each new day of life. Hearing a roosting winter flock in your backyard can definitely be loud, but I take the distraction as a message to get outside and enjoy the beautiful songs of nature!
What great photos! And what fun to have so many birds in your backyard. We cherish the few birds that we get at our feeders and enjoy their company everyday.
ReplyDeleteFound you through Hip Mountain Mama. Glad I stopped by.
Thanks so much for stopping by! I'm glad you enjoyed the pictures!
ReplyDelete