Saturday, September 07, 2024

European Robin and American Robin

      There have been several blog posts and numerous comments recently indicating a level of confusion between European Robin and American Robin. The two birds are not closely related; perhaps what follows will add some clarity. 

European Robin (Erithacus rubecula)

     This small, endearing little bird is found in the family Muscicapidae (Chats and Old World Flycatchers). The genus, Erithacus is from Greek, meaning 'robin', the specific epithet rubecula is derived from Latin, meaning 'red.'


     It has a variable song, both in tempo and capacity, but always pleasing to the ear. Some have described sections of the song as having tones of clear "glass chimes". The fact that the bird sings year round endears it to human admirers.


     European Robin readily associates with humans and is known to keep company with gardeners, waiting patiently as they turn over the earth, and darting down to snag worms and other invertebrates uncovered by the spade. They have even been known to perch on a gardener's shoulder or hat in expectation of treats, and will come to the hand for mealworms.


     European Robins are very catholic in their choice of nest sites, usually looking for some sort of hollow offering support and shelter. Tree roots and ivy-covered walls are often favoured, but discarded boots, old teakettles and rusting tractors have all been selected. The standard clutch is five eggs.
     The young have a mottled appearance until their first moult when they gradually acquire typical adult plumage.


Biometrics: Length - 13-14 cm. Weight - 16-22 grams.

American Robin (Turdus migratorius)

     Familiar to all who live in North America, American Robin is placed in the family Turdidae (Thrushes). The genus Turdus meaning thrush is derived from Latin, as is the specific epithet migratorius meaning migratory. Thus, the bird should perhaps more correctly be named Migratory Thrush, or a case could be made for Red-breasted Thrush. A robin it is not!
     It is generally believed that early European settlers in North America, nostalgic for the home they had left behind, named the first bird they saw with a red breast "robin." The name is so well-established and beloved it is hard to conceive of it being changed now.


     The sweet song of the American Robin is heard most loudly at dawn and dusk, but is often heard during the day, and is instantly recognizable by even the most casual observer. It has been described in various ways, but the word "cheer" seems to be universally applied and an interpretation of the song might be, "Cheer-up, cheerily, cheer-up, cheer-up, cheerily." Human renditions of bird song are at best subjective, often inaccurate, and draw heavily on the phonetics of the observer's native tongue.


     American Robin was traditionally regarded as the harbinger of spring, but as mean winter temperatures remain consistently warmer than in the past, many forgo migration and remain year-round.


     While American Robins will eat worms it is a common misconception that it is a food prized above all others. They readily consume spiders, invertebrates such as ants, flies and termites, caterpillars, berries, seeds and other plant-based items. By the end of summer 90 percent of the robin's diet is fruit.


     American Robins build their nests in suitable bushes or trees or on a horizontal surface, readily taking advantage of decks, patios, fence rails and bridges. One was even reported on top of a tombstone. Four eggs seems to be the normal clutch, but three and five are also reported.





     Young birds have a speckled breast, otherwise they resemble adults.


     Juveniles are generally cared for by the their father for about two weeks after leaving the nest while the female initiates a second brood.

Biometrics: Length - 22.5-27.5 cm. Weight 71-85 grams.

     I hope that this very brief examination of the two species is helpful.
David M. Gascoigne,
David M. Gascoigne,

I'm a life long birder. My interests are birds, nature, reading, books, outdoors, travel, food and wine.

66 comments:

  1. I love yo see photos of the European and the American Robin. They are both very beautiful, David. I can see the European Robin in my garden in winter. It comes here for food, and in the summer I never see them. I guess it eats a lot of insects during the summer and they stay in the forest.
    Hugs and kisses, Marit

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    1. Maybe one day it will build a nest in your garden, Marit.

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  2. Beautiful bird all those robins !
    Occasionally a robin come in my garden...I call him : my little friend !
    Have an interesting weekend !
    Anna

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  3. Yes, a helpful post with splendid photos. Thank you!

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  4. And the Australasian robins are different again. Thanks for this post (and the stunning photos as well.

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    1. And they were named by early British colonizers who seem to have had an umbilical cord to the motherland and the name “robin.”

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    2. And not just robins. Magpies too.

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  5. Hi David.

    How beautiful are those Robins.
    Nice those different types.
    Nice that little Robin, now see what it looks like.

    Greetings from Patricia.

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  6. That's a very informative post! Indian Robins are a much different species altogether.

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    1. Yes they are, and all named originally by British colonial ornithologists, who seemed to have a unique attachment to the name “robin.”

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  7. European robins to me seem so small and perky, with their happy song. While the robins in my back yard seem so comparatively clunky and sober. I’ve never been able to see how anyone could confuse them. I’m sure you are right, however, that just the name is enough to confuse some of your readers. Good descriptions you have provided!
    best, mae at maefood.blogspot.com

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    1. And I don’t see how people can confuse crows, jackdaws, rooks and ravens - but they do!

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  8. Great post on the two Robins. I think the European robin is adorable, I was thrilled to see it in Ireland. Great collection of photos. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Take care, have a wonderful weekend. PS, thank you for leaving me a comment.

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  9. Great post describing the differences David in the beloved "robins". Outstanding photos of both examples you featured. The British colonist certainly must have longed for home.

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  10. Two beautiful birds and sorted out.

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  11. We call European Robins Rotkehlchen over here and they really can sing! Didn't know they have a mottled appearance when young. Very interesting!

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  12. We have both migratory and resident robins. At one point in spring suddenly the migratory birds arrive, as if a commuter train had stopped, and the trees are full of them.

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  13. I have been confused but now am not. I see the European is much smaller.

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  14. ...David, a beautiful collection. It is raining here this morning and the robins are out hunting for worms.

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  15. Hello. Informative post. Our European robin is beautiful. Of course, I haven't seen an American robin.

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  16. Beautiful and interesting report, especially when you know the difficulty of the shots. Both your photos and those of your wife are magnificent.
    Thank you for these reports with such good information and for your comments on my blog.
    Greetings

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  17. Hi David, beautiful photos of the robins. I hope the robin will soon arrive here.

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  18. wonderful photos David (and Miriam). when I lived in the city we had american robins year round in the yard. then we moved 60 miles away to an agricultural county and I have only seen robins here one time in 20 years when a group migrated through one spring.

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  19. Hari OM
    Excellent comparison, sirrah! Despite knowing much of this, it was a delight to read such a lucid depiction. YAM xx

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  20. I just love those blue eggs. Such a pretty shade of blue. I don't think robins or thrushes exist in Hawaii.

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    1. I think there is actually a colour known as Robin's Egg Blue.

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  21. Very beautiful post and lovely birds. I love watching them. The European robin is a beautiful bird that I watch at the feeders in winter.
    I know thrushes very well. A few days ago, when we were away from home for two days, a huge flock raided our garden and ate almost all the grapes and blueberries.
    Greetings:)

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    1. Here farmers and fruit growers shroud their trees and bushes with a mesh cover denying access to birds.

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  22. Seguro que me habré encontrado alguno de ellos, cuando he visitado jardines de lugares en donde he viajado.
    Un abrazo.

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  23. Thanks, David for sorting the differences between the European Robin and the American Robin. Both birds are beautiful.

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  24. How interesting. I've never seen a European Robin but we have flocks of American Robins come here....many times on Christmas day. Right now we have flocks of Eastern Bluebirds in our yard. Thanks for the photos and info!

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  25. Thank you, this was very interesting. Robins visit us regularly when we sit on the patio, often accepting tiny bits of fruit or veg. But mostly it seems they want to check us out.

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  26. I remember you talking about this before. Those are some great photos of our Robins and your Robins. Both are wonderful looking birds. I'll tell you something funny....before I got into birds and seriously in nature, I always thought Robins were a Christmas thing. They always were the stars of Christmas Cards!!! Then I learned. We see them here all year round. They are such friendly little things.

    Have you seen the Pink Robin? I remember someone posted that years ago and I was in awe. Beautiful bird too :-D

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    1. Pink Robin is an Australian bird and as you say is gorgeous. Despite having visited Australia twice I have not seen this bird. My loss!

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  27. Lavender says they have flocks of robins and blue birds and I live 90 miles from her and have never seen either of those in a flock or out of a flock. I am on the coast she is inland. I saw murder of crows that blessed my heart and I did think of you while standing in Walmart parking listening and watching them. no one person in the lot took a single look at them, they might have looked at me since I was grinning and laughing while watching them. I would love to see a flock of robins, I have seen flocks of flamingos, flocks of spoonbills and once maybe thousands of gulls, wow was that a sight
    both of your birds today are beautiful and oh so interesting.

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  28. It's always a delight to come to your space here. Amazing creatures. So lovely.

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  29. Both types of robins are quite iconic in their own ways. I can't imagine spring without a North American Robin being seen. I've seen European robins in Europe, and they are quite sweet too. Thanks for this informative post David.

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    1. They are certainly both appealing, but the European Robins rate highest on the cuteness index!

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  30. Aaaaaww what a lovely post, i learn a lot here; today i have a master class full of details about two very beloved and fascinating birds. Each species, with its own song and habits! how divine are these little winged companions.
    Have a happy Saturday night, dear friend David nite nite!

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  31. Beautiful pictures of the robin, David.
    The American robin does not occur in the Netherlands, but I think it is very beautiful.
    The European robin is a nice bird.
    I wish you a nice Sunday.
    Greetings Irma

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  32. Very interesting post!....your description helps in understanding the difference. The confusion always happens with common names, and it is the same with the Plant Kingdonm......Abrazotes, Marcela

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  33. You describe our Robin well and yes they do seem to stay through the winter. Our winters have been mild for the last several years so that makes it easy for them ... however when we do have an occasional deep snow, I try to put food out for them until they can get back to foraging on their own. I haven't heard from you lately ... Rain's last prompt was "wings" and so I have many bird pictures to share. I was hoping you would come by ... Stay well my friend ...

    Andrea @ From the Sol

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    1. I leave a comment in your blog every time you post, Andrea. What happens to them if you can’t find them in spam I have no idea.

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    2. I am not sure where else to look for them ... any thoughts? So sorry that is happening. I hope we can resolve the issue because I look forward to hearing from you.

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  34. Naming "our" bird robin was certainly a bit of wishful thinking on the part of early English emigrants to this continent.

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  35. The robins I knew best were the Whitebrowed Robins of Southern Africa (Erythropygia leucophrys) and the Cape Robin (Cossypha caffra) but just to confuse the issue I see they have been renamed recently. The latter is now Cape robin-chat (Cossypha caffra). If you look up the former one now gets white-browed scrub robin (Cercotrichas leucophrys ), or white-bowed robin-chat (Cossypha heuglini). In fact it seems there are 11 robin species in Southern Africa, I give up I will go with the European robin or the American robin so much easier. Bisous mon ami, Diane

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  36. Hi David, I learn something new in each new post from you. Thank you for that. This whole business of naming things is, of course, a part of human evolution. We’ve been struggling with how to communicate with each other since the beginning of our species. My guess is, the early European settlers just didn’t know enough about bird science to realize they were looking at a Thrush. The color certainly had them confused, although the difference in the reds and breast coverage is starkly different to me. What if the Europeans had put a little more emphasis on orange? 😊 John
    PS All the photos are excellent!

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    1. It's an interesting comment you make, John. There is a European species named Turdus merula, a sister species to Turdus migratorius. Turdus merula is known as Common Blackbird, because it is - you guessed it, black. If you put a silhouette of American Robin and Common Blackbird side-by-side you'd be hard pressed to tell the difference. Anyone familiar with birds (that's the key) would make the connection instantly.

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  37. Lovely birds and completely different ! Nice and clear explanation.
    thank you!
    Regards Maria

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  38. You explained it beautifully. I didn't know much about the English Robin and now I do. It is so easy to become endeared to an American Robin, as in my experience, there are always a few that will hang around the garden when we are digging in the soil to see what we unearth that is edible, especially when feeding babies. For some reason the year around ones that regularily visit the garden always bring happiness to me when I am greeted by one.

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  39. Never having been off the North American continent, I've seen pictures of the European robin on a couple of British blogs I read but have never seen or heard one in person. I would love to see and hear one in person one day. I've had American robins nest in my New York State yard a couple of times and watching the parents from afar was a thrill. I so enjoy their springtime early morning concerts if I am up early, too.

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    1. It’s too bad that you have never left North America. I am reminded of Rudyard Kipling who wrote, “What do they know of England who only England know?” You gain a whole new perspective on your own country when viewed from abroad, garnished by the opinions of others.

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  40. This spring, after a few years’ absence, an A. Robin attempted to build a nest under our patio. The crows quickly dispatched the Robin which abandoned the nest. The Robins have disappeared from the Confederation Trail now too. They leave mid to late August. Love those birds.

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  41. Well, they’re both cute. And they have adapted well to living near humans.

    Regarding your comment about Tripod: he only has three legs. He limps a bit, but he gets around well.

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  42. Identical names, but still there are differences.

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  43. I thoroughly enjoyed this, thank you David! Great photos and very informative.

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  44. Hi David - excellent notes on both species ... so so different - one thing you didn't mention ... our robin is territorial and lives alone, while the American robin lives in flocks and yes they descend into a tree and gorge themselves silly, then move on leaving a denuded tree - I can't remember what tree is was ... cheers Hilary

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  45. Suelo ver un petirrojo en primavera por mi jardín, me gustaría verlo siempre, es un pajarito que me encanta. El americano también es bonito, pero me quedo con el europeo. Gracias y besos.

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  46. David, when I first came to California I was wondering why the American Robin was called robin since it had not much similarity with our European Robin that we call Rotkehlchen in German, which translates to "little red throat" (the "little" part is the "chen" at the end of the word - "chen" is a diminutive in my native language). Consequently, when I saw a Varied Thrush for the first time, my first thought was American Robin, but I quickly stood corrected. It's not always easy for a layman (or laywoman). Thank you for this great explanation. Hugs - Carola

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  47. Both robins are lovely.

    Out in the garden today and our European Robin was visiting ...
    It really is my favourite bird.

    All the best Jan

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