Robins: The Icons of Spring

“He rocks in the treetops all day long, hoppin’ and a-boppin’ and singing his song…”

Spring and Robins – they go together hand-in-hand. You can’t help but smile when you see a Robin because you know that spring is here! Sure there are plenty of other birds in sight, but let’s face it, the Robin is synonymous with the arrival of spring!

Consider adding a small sitting area in your yard surrounded by nearby trees and bushes where you can sit quietly and watch all your beautiful birds up close and personal. Now is the perfect time to add birdhouses or feeders to your sitting area, yard, patio or deck. Be sure to keep them in a place where the birds will be easy to view.

Right now birds are nesting and looking for new homes. They are scrounging around for materials to build their nests. Birds have been known to scavenge for string, twine, cloth and other bits of outdoor debris, to build their nests.

Hang strands (2” to 4”) of twine or loose string over a branch and watch to see which birds grab it to build their new homes! Got an old hat laying around? Don’t toss it, visit our post An Old Hat Can Become A Bird’s New Nest in the “nature” category to easily convert an old hat into a birdhouse in minutes by just affixing some twine!

Spend just a few minutes to encourage more birds to visit your yard and in no time at all you’ll be joining Bobby Day and Michael Jackson in singing “Go rockin’ robin, you’re really gonna rock tonight!”

American Robin Facts:

. Our very familiar American Robin covers most of North America.

. The Robin’s caroling is among the earliest bird songs heard at dawn during spring and summer months.

. Robins are ground foragers, locating earthworms by sight.

. Eggs: average 4, sometimes up to 7. They are pale blue (robin’s egg blue). Both parents feed their young, but the females do more (I will refrain from any wisecracks!). The young leave the nest 14-16 days after hatching. Two broods per season, sometimes 3.

. Nests: constructed of grasses, twigs and debris that are worked into a solid foundation of mud, lined with fine grasses and plant fibers.

THE SONG: Rockin’ Robin Facts:

Rockin’ Robin was written in 1958 by Leon Rene under the pseudonym of Jimmie Thomas. It was Bobby Day’s biggest hit (’58). In 1972 Michael Jackson released Rockin’ Robin on his first solo LP, Got to Be There. It was his biggest hit off that album.

Spring has sprung! Get out there and enjoy some quality time with nature.