I photographed this American Robin (Turdus migratorius) this week as it and a few friends fed on various types of berries in my neighborhood. At this time of year we get emails and calls about American Robin sightings because yes, you will still find them here in the Northeast despite the snow and frigid temperatures. Some certainly fly south for the winter and many here and there will form large flocks, thus the frequency of our overall sightings of the species go down for multiple reasons. They’ll feed on wild berries but will not be interested in what we put out at feeding stations except in extreme situations in my experience. The only time I had Robins visit my feeders were during surprise late March and April snowfalls when one or two would come to eat suet, their diets transitioning by that point back to animal matter, needing a fast meal during a real emergency with wild food sources being depleted at that late date. If you see any just know that they certainly can make it through difficult winter conditions.
Scott Kruitbosch
Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
