Learn about the American Robin from Melissa

A bird nest with two blue eggs in it

Dear Horizon families,

I have much love for nature. I miss watching the birds at the bird feeder at school. There are many birds that visit. The American Robin is a very common bird. There are many of them. I would like to share some facts, songs, and a project about the American Robin.

Facts about the American Robin. Let’s begin with what they eat. Robins eat beetle grubs, spiders, earthworms, caterpillars, and berries. Robins’ nests are made with long coarse grass, twigs, paper, feathers, mud, yarn, and leaves. So, robins use items from nature and some items left behind by humans. A robin is the earliest bird to sing at dawn. Its predators are hawks, snakes, and domestic cats. My cats, Layla and Wiggles, love to sit by or in the window, as they watch the birds. The cats try to communicate, making sounds with their mouths moving quickly. And if they were outdoor cats, they may try to hunt them. The color of a robin’s egg is eggshell blue. Blue is my favorite color because I love sunny blue skies. A wonderful reminder of spring that the robin brings.

I know our backyard at Horizon is missed by everyone who has enjoyed it. I have an idea of a bird nest project to help you make your own bird nest. I went out to my backyard to gather some items a robin may find. And I have some scraps of paper, yarn, and feathers here at home. I bought some colorful feathers at the store. I can put all the items I have here together.  And I know it may be a bit messy, but I can use some mud to fuse it together. Robins work together in pairs, making several hundred trips back and forth to collect quantities of mud to hold all of this together. They use their feet and beak to weave the plant fibers, such as grass and twigs, with the mud. We can use our hands, with the assistance of the mud to make a bowl shape. Robins’ nests can be found in nooks and crannies outside homes. I have a robin’s nest in my bedroom window, next to my air conditioning unit. So, every morning guess who helps to wake me up? The earliest birds to sing at dawn.

I hope you enjoy learning more about the American Robin. I hope you enjoy making a robin’s nest. Also, there are two fun songs about robins to learn and sing. One is Rockin’ Robin, by Bobby Byrd. And Robin in the Rain by Raffi. A great song to sing on a rainy Spring day.

Click here to hear more from Melissa about Robins