The American Robin is the largest member of the thrush family in North America. Like other thrushes, robins are one of the first species to begin singing at dawn. Although robins are common yard birds, they also inhabit the high elevation forests in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Length: 21.5 - 25.5 cm
Physical characteristics: The male is a dark gray over its backs and wings, with a darker gray or black head and a broken white eye ring. The breast and belly are a rust-red. The female’s colors are similar, but slightly paler than the males.
Voice: Song is a variable series of melodic, separated phrases with each phrase sounding like a variation on cheerio.

Breeding habitat:
The American Robin has a wide range of habitat preferences, and is considered most adaptable. It can be found in all forest types, as well as open areas, such as parks, and urban and suburban residential neighborhoods.
Mating system:
Monogamous, with two broods, and occasionally three, produced per season. Nest The American Robin nest is built by the female in a variety of locations: in trees, shrubs, buildings and other structures that offer adequate support. The nest sites are often near houses. The nest is a cup shape constructed of sticks, grasses and mud, and lined with fine grass. Often many strands of grass are left hanging from the bottom of the nest.
Eggs:
A clutch consists of 3 – 5 pale blue unmarked eggs. (Rarely, white eggs or those marked with browns will be seen.) 28mm (1.1 in).
Chick development:
The chicks are born altricial after 12 – 14 days of incubation by the female. Both parents tend to the nestlings, which leave the nest after 14 – 16 days. It takes about 30 days before the young can sufficiently feed themselves. Often the male takes over the care of the fledglings while the female starts on another brood. The male and juveniles often roost communally at night.
Diet:
Invertebrates are taken, including insects, snails and worms. Fruit is also a major part of its diet. This species forages mostly on the ground, walking quickly along, then pausing to scan for prey with its head cocked to the side.
Parasites:
An undescribed species of feather mite of the genus Trouessartia (Trouessartiidae) was collected from a robin at Tremont in May of 2001 (Reeves et al. 2007). The feather mite Proctophyllodes musicus Vitzthum (Proctophyllodidae) was collected off of robins caught at Sugarlands, Tennessee, Purchase Knob, North Carolina, Oconaluftee, North Carolina, and Tremont.
The louse fly Ornithomya anchineura Speiser (Hippoboscidae) was collected from robins at Tremont, Tennessee (Reeves et al. 2004). The bird blow fly Protocalliphora sialia Shannon and Dobroscky (Calliphoridae) was found in a robin nest at Smokemont (Reeves et al. 2004).
Examinations of fecal samples collected from robins caught at Purchase Knob (C. Faulkner, V. Faulkner, S. Stone, and K. Myers; 2003-2006) detected eggs of an unidentified tapeworm and eggs of an unidentified intestinal nematode of the genus Capillaria (Trichuroidea).

Breeding: The American Robin is found throughout the southern portion of Canada and the entire United States, except for Florida and southern Texas. Click on the map on the left to see the breeding range as determined by the Breeding Bird Survey (BBS).
Winter: This species is a short distant migrant, wintering mostly in the southern United States. However, it may migrate as far south as Guatemala in Central America. It may gather in large flocks in its winter range. Click on the map on the left to see the winter range as determined by the Christmas Bird Count (CBC).
In Park: The American Robin is a fairly common bird species in the Park, inhabiting both high elevation forests and open, disturbed areas in the park. This species is a year round resident of the park. A survey of breeding birds performed in the park, from 1996-1999, ranked American Robin as the 43rd most common species out of 113 species observed during the breeding season.
Estimates from this survey indicate that overall American Robin density in the park during the breeding season is approximately 0.015 pairs/hectare. American Robins density increases with elevation such that this species is most likely to be observed above 5,000 feet in the park. Robins can also be observed in disturbed areas at low elevations near the park boundaries. For example they are commonly seen at Cades Cove, camping areas, and the visitor centers.

Because of its adaptability to open areas and suburban environments, the number of American Robins is increasing over much of its range.
All plants and animals are protected within Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Collection requires a permit, which is usually granted only for research or educational purposes.

References:

Alsop, F. J. 1991. Birds of the Smokies. Great Smoky Mountains Natural History Association, Gatlinburg, TN.

Bent, A. C. and Collaborators. 1996 - 2002. American Robin, In Life Histories of Familiar North American Birds, ed., Patricia Query Newforth.

Committee on Classification and Nomenclature of the American Ornithologists Union. 2002. Forty-third supplement to the American Ornithologists Union Check-list of North American Birds. The Auk 119: 897-906.

Elphick, C, J. B. Dunning, Jr., and D. A. Sibley, eds. 2001. The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.

Gough, G. A., Sauer, J. R., Iliff, M. Patuxent Bird Identification Infocenter. 1998. Version 97.1. Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel, MD

Sallabanks, R. and F. C. James. 1999. American Robin. In The Birds of North America, No. 462 (A. Poole, P. Stettenheim, and F. Gill, Eds.). Philadelphia: The Academy of Natural Sciences; Washington, DC: The American Ornithologists Union.

Sibley, D. A. 2000. The Sibley Guide to Birds. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.

Ehrlich, P. R, D. S. Dobkin, and D. Wheye. 1988. The Birders Handbook: a Field Guide to the Natural History of North American Birds. Simon and Schuster, Inc., New York.