_Turdus migratorius_, LINN. S. N. 12th ed. 1766, 292.—SCLATER, P.
Z. S. 1856, 294; 1859, 331; 1864, 172.—IB. Catal. Am. Birds,
1861, 4.—SCLATER & SALVIN, Ibis, 1860, 396 (Coban).—BAIRD, Birds
N. Am. 1858, 218; Rev. Am. B. 1864, 28.—COOPER & SUCKLEY, P. R.
R. R. XII, II, 1859, 172.—DRESSER, Ibis, 1865, 475. (Texas,
winter).—COUES, Pr. A. N. S. 1866, 64 (Arizona).—DALL &
BANNISTER (Alaska).—COOPER, Birds Cal.—SAMUELS, 154.
Figures: VIEILLOT, Ois. Am. Sept. II, pl. lx, lxi.—WILSON, Am. Orn.
I, 1808, pl. ii.—DOUGHTY, Cab. N. H. I, 1830, pl. xii.—AUDUBON,
Birds Am. III, pl. cxlii; Orn. Biog. II, pl. cxxxi.
SP. CHAR. Tail slightly rounded. Above olive-gray; top and sides of
the head black. Chin and throat white, streaked with black. Eyelids,
and a spot above the eye anteriorly, white. Under parts and inside of
the wings, chestnut-brown. The under tail-coverts and anal region,
with tibiæ, white, showing the plumbeous inner portions of the
feathers. Wings dark brown, the feathers all edged more or less with
pale ash. Tail still darker, the extreme feathers tipped with white.
Bill yellow, dusky along the ridge and at the tip. Length, 9.75; wing,
5.43; tail, 4.75; tarsus, 1.25.
HAB. The whole of North America; Mexico, Oaxaca, and Cordova;
Guatemala; Cuba, very rare, GUNDLACH; Tobago, KIRK; Bermuda, JONES;
Orizaba (Alpine regions, breeding abundantly), SUMICHRAST.
Young birds have transverse blackish bars on the back, and blackish
spots beneath. The shafts of the lesser coverts are streaked with
brownish-yellow; the back feathers with white.
[Illustration: _Turdus migratorius._]
There are some variations, both of color and proportions, between
eastern and western specimens of the Robin. In the latter there is a
tendency to a longer tail, though the difference is not marked; and,
as a rule, they slightly exceed eastern specimens in size. The broad
white tip to the lateral tail-feather—so conspicuous a mark of
eastern birds—is scarcely to be found at all in any western ones; and
in the latter the black of the head is very sharply defined against
the lighter, clearer ash of the back, there hardly ever being a
tendency in it to continue backward in the form of central spots to
the feathers, as is almost constantly seen in eastern examples; of
western specimens, the rufous, too, is appreciably lighter than in
eastern. As regards the streaks on the throat, the black or the white
may either largely predominate in specimens from one locality.
In autumn and winter each rufous feather beneath is bordered by a more
or less conspicuous crescent of white; in addition to this, most of
the lighter individuals (♀?), at this season, have an ashy suffusion
over the breast and flanks; and this, we have observed, is more
general and more noticeable in western than in eastern specimens. In
fall and winter the color of the bill, too, changes, becoming at this
season either partially or wholly dusky, instead of almost entirely
yellow, as seen in spring and summer examples.
Mexican specimens, found breeding in the Alpine regions as far south
as Orizaba and Mirador, most resemble the western series; one, however
(No. 38,120 ♂, Orizaba), but in the autumnal plumage, and therefore
very possibly a migrant from the North, is hardly distinguishable from
No. 32,206, Georgia; it is about identical in proportions, and the
rufous is of a castaneous shade, like the deepest colored eastern
examples; the white tip to the outer tail-feather is as broad and
conspicuous as is ever seen in the latter.
HABITS. Scarcely any American bird has a wider range of geographical
distribution, or is more numerous wherever found, than this thrush.
From Greenland on the extreme northeast to the plateau of Mexico, and
from the Atlantic to the Pacific, the Robin is everywhere a very
abundant species. Single specimens have been obtained as far south as
Coban, Guatemala. Its distribution in the breeding season is hardly
less restricted, occurring alike on the shores of the Arctic Seas and
on the high lands of Vera Cruz. In the winter months it is most
abundant in the Southern States, while in the Middle and even the
Northern States, in favorable localities, it may be found throughout
the year; its migrations being influenced more by the question of food
than of climate. In the valleys among the White Mountains, where snow
covers the ground from October to June, and where the cold reaches the
freezing-point of mercury, flocks of the Robin remain during the
entire winter, attracted by the abundance of berries.
On the Pacific Coast the Robin is only a winter visitant in
California; a very few remaining to breed, and those only among the
hills. They reach Vancouver Island early in March, and are very
abundant.
In New England, where the Robins are held in great esteem, and where
they exist under very favorable circumstances, their numbers have very
largely increased, especially in the villages. They cause not a little
annoyance to fruit cultivators by their depredations upon the
productions of the garden, especially cherries and strawberries. They
are a voracious bird, and no doubt destroy a large quantity of small
fruit, but there is abundant evidence that this is more than
compensated by their destruction of the most injurious insects, upon
which they wage an incessant war. The investigations of Mr. J. W. P.
Jenks and Professor Treadwell establish conclusively their great
services in this direction.
The experiments of the latter gentleman show that the nestlings of the
Robin require a vast amount of animal food, forty per cent more than
their own weight being consumed by the young bird within twenty-four
hours, and, what is more, demonstrated to be necessary to its
existence.
[Illustration: PLATE II.
1. Turdus confinis, _Baird_. Cape St. Lucas, 23789.
2. “ nævius, _Gm._ Cala., 21363.
3. “ migratorius, _Linn._ Penn., 1851.
4. “ iliacus, _Linn._ Europe.]
In Massachusetts a few Robins remain throughout the year, but the
greater proportion leave early in November, returning late in February
or early in March.
The song of the Robin is deservedly popular. While many of our birds
possess far superior powers of melody, and exhibit a much greater
variety in their song, there are none that exceed it in its duration
or extent. It is the first bird in spring to open and one of the last
to close the great concert of Nature. Their song is earnest, simple,
and thrilling, and is said by Audubon to resemble that of the European
Blackbird, _Turdus merula_.
The Robin, when taken young, may be readily tamed, and soon becomes
contented and accustomed to confinement. They are devoted to their
young, watchful, attentive, and provident. They begin to construct
their nest in early spring before the trees put forth their leaves,
and often in very exposed positions. The size of the nest, in fact,
makes concealment impossible. These nests are sometimes placed in
quite remarkable positions, such as the beams of a ship partly
finished, and where the carpenters were every day at work, and similar
situations indicating a great familiarity. Their favorite place is the
horizontal branch of an apple-tree, about ten feet from the ground.
The nest of the Robin is a large and coarsely constructed combination
of rude materials. It is composed of a base of straw, leaves, mosses,
stems, and dry grasses, upon which a cup-shaped fabric of clay or mud
is built. The whole is lined with finer dry grasses and vegetable
fibres. They average 5 inches in height and the same in diameter.
Their cavity is 2¾ inches deep, with a diameter of 2½ inches.
The eggs of the Robin, which are usually five and sometimes six in
number, are of a uniform bright greenish-blue color, liable to fade
when exposed to light, but when fresh exhibiting a very distinct and
bright tint. They vary in size from 1.25 to 1.12 inches in length, and
in breadth from .88 to .75 of an inch. Their mean measurement is 1.18
by .81.
Turdus migratorius, var. confinis, BAIRD.