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American Robin

Turdus migratorius 
Thrush family (Turdidae)

Our largest thrush. Dark gray above, brick red below, white tips of outer tail feathers, white throat streaked with black.

Habitat:
Open lawns near buildings, forest edges.

Nesting:
Builds a large bulky nest of mud and grasses. Nest placed on a horizontal limb of a shrub or tree or on a building ledge, 10 to 20 feet above the ground. Eggs are light blue. Clutch size – 3 to 4 eggs.

Voice:

Song is a cheery whistle, “cheeryup cherrily.”  Call is a scolding “tuk tuk tuk,” given in response to a disturbance near their nest or fledglings.

Name Origin:

The genus Turdus is from the Latin for “thrush.” The species migratorius is from the Latin for “wanderer.”

In the Nature Park:
Year-round resident. The American Robin is one of our most recognizable birds and is easy to see on the mowed lawns around the buildings at the Nature Park. We have found several American Robin nests in the forests of the Nature Park.

Photos: