Robins of the USA – A Complicated Story

The American Robin is an icon of birding and modern culture. Connecticut, Michigan and Wisconsin have all adopted it as their state bird and it is a common sports mascot. The irony is of course, that it is actually a thrush, not a robin. In this post we will investigate all those birds called robin in the USA and what that actually means.

We will start on the other side of the Atlantic with the European Robin.

European Robin (Erithacus rubecula)

Identification

The European Robin is a member of the Muscicapidae Old World Flycatcher family. It is a robust little bird, looking quite plump. The back is brown with a gray neck and head. The gray extends around the top of the breast and face which are a rich orange.

Photo by Martin Dickson

Size

  • Length: 4.9 – 5.5 inches
  • Weight: 0.5 – 0.9 ounces

Habitat

The European Robin is adaptable and can be found in a range of environments from woodlands and forests to hedges and open lands. It is even found in urban areas, anywhere really that has some kind of vegetation for it to retreat into.

Photo by Imogen Warren

Diet

The European Robin has an adaptable diet, which is not surprising given its range. Foods that it takes are:

  • invertebrates including adult bugs and larvae
  • fruits
  • seeds
  • small vertebrates
  • carrion
  • scraps
  • bird table items

Range and Migration

There are 9 sub-species of the European Robin and while some do not migrate, others do and their entire population covers all of Europe, including Russia, into Asia and North Africa.

Below is a migration map for the European Robin. The Key is:

Purple – year round resident

Orange – breeding range

Blue – non breeding areas

As can be seen in this map, the European Robin has a complicated migration pattern with a huge range. Not bad for a bird that weighs less than an ounce!

Photo by pixabay

Call

Audio by Mehmet ÜNLÜ

Sightings in the USA

There have been 5 reported sightings of the European Robin in the U.S. and they were in Florida and Pennsylvania. Several of them included photos so there was no doubt about the identification. It is quite staggering to think of this bird flying across the Atlantic Ocean or maybe it hitched a lift of some sort!

American RobinTurdus migratorius

Identification

The American Robin is larger then its European namesake. As a thrush, it looks like a thrush, albeit a brightly colored one. It is a member of the Turdidae thrush family. A rufous breast stands out almost as much as the broken white eye ring. The head is black, blending into brown along the tail, which is white underneath.

Photo by Andy Morrfew

Size

  • Length: 7.9-11.0 in (20-28 cm)
  • Weight: 2.7-3.0 oz (77-85 g)
  • Wingspan: 12.2-15.8 in (31-40 cm)

Habitat

The American Robin is another adaptable bird. It is found in varying environments like forests, open woodlands, gardens and backyards.

Photo by Skyler Ewing

Diet

Generally, the American Robin feeds on the ground. It looks for invertebrates and the vision of it on lawns, tugging away at worms is iconic. It will also eat fruits and forages for them also on the ground.

Range and Migration

This robin is also migratory with a simpler pattern. Birds that breed in Canada move down to warmer climes in the U.S. and they, in turn fly further down into Central America. Thus, there is always a population present across continental America.

Photo by pixabay

Call

Audio by Aidan Place

Sightings in the USA

eBird records over 15 million sightings of the American Robin and they can be seen from Mexico in the south and Alaska and Canada in the north.

Rufous-backed Robin (Turdus rufopalliatus)

Identification

The Rufous-backed Robin is again misnamed, presumably because of its similarity to the American Robin. It is indeed related to the American Robin it is also a thrush of the Turdidae family. It is a darker version of its U.S. counterpart with a pale bill and streaky throat. Its proper name is the Rufous-backed Thrush.

Photo by Pablo Lèautaud

Size

  • Length: 8.5 – 9.4 inches
  • Wingspan: 15.5 inches
  • Weight: 2.6 ounces

Habitat

The Rufous-backed Robin is a tropical thrush which prefers humid forests of Mexico.

Diet

This thrush eats predominately fruit.

Range and Migration

The Rufous-backed Robin is a common resident in central and western parts of Mexico. It is no migratory.

Call

Audio by Manuel Grosselet

Sightings in the USA

There have been around 5,000 reported sightings of this thrush to eBird. It has been seen in the south of the following states:

  • Arizona
  • New Mexico
  • California
  • Texas

Siberian Blue Robin (Larvivora cyane)

Identification

Now, this is where it gets confusing. The Siberian Blue Robin is a member of the Muscicapidae family of Old World Flycatcher, just like the European Robin. However, it looks more like a thrush.

Anyway, the male robin (on the right) is a deep blue on the back and white underneath. The female is a dull brown and buff with some flecks of blue.

Size

  • Length: 5.1 – 6 inches
  • Weight: 0.4 – 0.6 ounces

Habitat

The Siberian Blue Robin inhabits thick and deep taiga forests of different varieties depending on the locale.

Diet

The Siberian Blue Robin eats a combination of insects, berries and grass seeds.

Range and Migration

The Siberian Blue Robin spends winter months in south east Asia including Japan. It moves north to its breeding grounds in Siberia.

Call

Audio by Dave Guo

Sightings in the USA

There have only been 3 reported sighting to eBird of this robin. They were on offshore islands of Alaska.

Rufous-tailed Robin (Larvivora sibilans)

Identification

Our last robin is another Old World Flycatcher and is the most plain of all our robins. It does, however, have very interesting scalloping on the buff breast. The back is brown and the tail a rufous red.

Photo by JJ Harrison

Size

  • Length: 5.5 inches
  • Weight: 0.9 ounces

Habitat

The Rufous-tailed Robin inhabits damp woodland preferring dense undergrowth.

Diet

This robins forages through the undergrowth for beetles, spiders and ants.

Range and Migration

The Rufous-tailed Robin breeds in Siberia and Russia, spending non-breeding periods in Korea and China.

Call

Audio by Geoff Carey

Sightings in the USA

There have been less than 15 sightings of the Rufous-tailed Robin in the USA and all of them were in western parts of Alaska and offshore islands.

Conclusion

So, there are all the robins reported in the USA. The American Robin and Rufous-backed Robin are not robins at all and should really be named the American Thrush and Rufous-backed Thrush. The remaining 3 birds (European Robin, Siberian Blue Robin and Rufous-tailed Robin) are Old World Robins and very rarely seen in the United States.

FAQ

Are robins the most common bird in America?

The American Robin is certainly one of, if not the, most common birds across America.

What is the difference between a British robin and an American robin?

The European Robin has a bright colored breast and it is limited to the breast whereas the American Robin is a browner red shade which extends down the belly. It is also larger and less round than the European species.

What are a group of robins called?

A group of robins is called a round.
A group of thrushes is called a mutation.

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