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The
American Robin is the most well known member of the Thrush Family, a musical
Family which also includes the Veery, Swainson's Thrush, Hermit Thrush,
Wood Thrush, and the rare Bicknell's and Gray-cheeked Thrush. All thrushes
are reknowned for their entrancing flute-like song, and the Robin is no
exception. In Southern Quebec, the song of the American Robin is first heard
in early April, and is welcomed as a heart-warming sign of spring. The Robin
differs from all other North American thrushes in that it has adapted well
to human settlement. Consequently, this species resides in towns, parks,
suburbs, and rural areas; nearly any site that contains trees and clearings.
Most Robins in Quebec migrate to the southern U.S. during winter. Interestingly,
individual birds return to the same nesting site year-after-year, with males
usually returning to their birthplace. Exactly how migratory birds locate
their ancestral breeding sites after lengthy migrations remains a mystery
to ornithologists. |
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