The robin is one of two thrush species identified by their orange or dull reddish breast. Among the most recognizable songbirds in the eastern United States is the American robin, a big North American thrush. Below, we will uncover everything you need to know about the lone species of robins in Texas, where they live, where to spot them, and more.
What Robin Species Lives in Texas?
Texas is home to only one robin species – the American robin. American robins are among the most well-known birds in North America, especially in the eastern region, where they are frequently spotted in the spring and summer foraging for earthworms on lawns in yards and parks. The American robin is a sizable gray-brown songbird with a dark head, broken white eye ring, and warm brick red underparts. The largest thrushes in North America, robins provide a fantastic opportunity to understand the general morphology of thrushes. The American robin’s range spans the entire continent, from Canada in the north to Mexico in the south, making it one of the most prevalent and recognizable birds in the Americas. It is frequently seen in parks and backyards and is recognized for its red breast and dark hood.
Appearance: What Do American Robins Look Like?
The American robin is the largest thrush on the entire continent, and numerous species in the family are found worldwide. They come in various sizes, from the tiniest creatures that barely weigh an ounce to larger ones like the great thrush, which weighs between 4 and 6 ounces. They have long tails, long legs, and a broad, spherical body. The belly and undertail coverts are white, while the throat is white with black streaks. The reddish-orange breast of the American robin ranges in color from a rich scarlet maroon to peachy orange, and its back is brown. During flight, a white patch can be seen on the underside of its tail and the lower belly. The color of its head ranges from pitch-black to gray, with white supercilia and eye arcs. The legs and feet are brown, and the beak is primarily yellow with a variable black tip; the dusky area expands in the winter. The American robin is head and shoulders above all other thrushes in North America. Compared to other North American thrushes, such as bluebirds, wood thrushes, and hermit thrushes, they are often larger. With a wingspan of 12 to 16 inches, most specimens are between 8 and 11 inches long. The average weight of an American robin is about 2.7 ounces, with males weighing 2.5 to 3.3 ounces and females weighing 2.1 to 3.2 ounces.
Habitat: Where Do American Robins Live?
American robins can be found all over the continent in pine forests, deciduous woodlands, shrublands, fields, tundra, parks, yards, gardens, golf courses, pastures, and fields. They can also be found in forests after extensive logging or fires. In Texas, American robins breed from close to sea level to 8,000 feet above. Breeding has been verified in the montane coniferous woods in the Davis and Guadalupe mountains of the Trans-Pecos. They commonly surround human habitations, from farmhouses to city parks, and can be found in forests, thickets in prairies, and agricultural regions like orchards and pastures with woodland edges. From Alaska and Canada southward to northern Florida and Mexico, this bird breeds across most of North America. Most robins travel south of Canada for the winter, from Florida and the Gulf Coast to central Mexico and along the Pacific Coast. Robins do, however, occasionally spend the winter in the northern United States and southern Canada.
Seasonal Occurrence: When to Spot American Robins in Texas?
In Texas, American robins are visible all year round. From early November to late March, migrant birds from further north boost the breeding population from a common to abundant state. Robins breed in Texas from early March to early August. The nesting grounds of the American robin are woodlands, open farms, and cities. In the most southern region of the Deep South of the United States, the American robin becomes less frequent as a breeder and likes huge shade trees on lawns. Although similar, its winter habitat has greater open spaces.
Diet: What Do American Robins Eat?
The typical diet of an American robin consists roughly of 40% tiny invertebrates, such as grasshoppers, earthworms, caterpillars, and beetle grubs, and 60% wild and cultivated fruits and berries. In some regions, robins, especially those of the northwest subspecies, will forage on beaches for insects and tiny mollusks. American robins typically discover food hidden in the grass or hung from a tree. However, they are also capable of catching insects that are in the air. It makes sense that American robins must develop into strong, agile aerial acrobats to pull off such a feat. Despite their small size, American robins can fly at astonishing speeds. Although the weather greatly impacts their speed, they can attain high speeds of up to 35 mph. Altitude also plays a role because birds flying higher up tend to fly quicker than those flying closer to the ground.
Threats: What Can Cause a Decline in American Robin’s Population?
Squirrels, snakes, and birds, including blue jays, common grackles, American crows, Steller’s jays, and ravens, all prey on young robins and their eggs. American robins are reported to be preyed upon by 28 raptorial bird species. Most animals that will likely take young robins from the ground are mammals like foxes and dogs, while raccoons frequently prey on nests and small carnivores are agile enough to pursue adults. The American robin can, however, maintain vigilance and watch other flock members for responses to predators when they forage in groups.
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