Conservation Guardians of Northwest Illinois

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A Sure Harbinger of Spring

Winter 2002-2003 Newsletter

The melodious “cheery-up, cheery-o” song of the American Robin is a sure sign of spring in northwest Illinois. Large flocks of robins, wintering in the Southern United States and Central America, begin their northern migration as early as February.

Named by the Mayflower Pilgrims after the beloved Robin Redbreast of the English homeland, the American Robin (Turdus migratorius) is one of our most adaptable birds. It breeds in forests, farmlands, and urban settings all across North America.

Robins are 9-11 inches long, with a gray back and an orange-red breast. The eyes are circled by white “spectacle” markings. Its yellow bill is adapted for a diet of insects, earthworm, and berries. Robins forage mainly on the ground, cocking their head as they look for food — not listening, as once thought.

The female selects a tree, bush, or ledge and builds a large, cup-shaped nest of twigs, grasses, and mud. She incubates 3 to 5 turquoise blue eggs for 12 to 15 days. The male oversees the first brood of fledglings while the female sits on a second clutch of eggs. Young birds are a spotted, paler version of their parents.

During the 1950’s, spraying the pesticide DDT for Dutch Elm disease led to contaminated earthworms and the death or reproductive failure of robins. The possible loss of this popular songbird contributed to the eventual ban of DDT.