The American Robin

By: Tinashe Maphosa

The American Robin 

The Latin or scientific name is “Turdus migratorius”.They were named after the European Robins because of their reddish orange breast.The American Robins are migratory songbirds and They also belong to the Turdidae family. This family is comprised of Robins,Thrushes,Bluebirds, and over 100 different species. American Robins are 23 to 28 cm which is 9.1  to 11.0 inches and have a wingspan of 12 to 16 inches and weigh 77 grams. American Robins are Omnivores, meaning that they eat both plants and animals. They serve as predators to insects and worms but, They also eat small snakes and small reptiles and amphibians but they prefer eat fruits and berries and when they don't find anymore fruits and berries sometimes they will leave and find a new area.There are about about 320 million american Robins all over the world, And make their nest on the ground, in gutters, on outdoor lights,  in a group of bushes or trees, On top of buildings,and on cliffs so just about anywhere.During the breeding season, The male robins grow black feathers on the back of their heads to attract females and aftering mating the female robin will stay in the nest until after the eggs have hatched. Once they have hatched  the newborn robins  will join the roosts and that is also when the female will leave and join the roosts.Are they aggressive?, They can be aggressive but it's unlikely that they will attack you doing research i saw that they are at ease around humans. They are very territorial and will protect their nest.The predators of the American robin are snakes, cats, and hawks. And when it comes to owning an American robin, you can't own an American Robin and it is illegal in most places to have or kill an american robin.