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Robins are not migrating this year

CrazyBirdChick

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For as long as I can remember I never used to see Robins here (in Chicago) in the winter. They may have been here and I may have missed it. But for the last 15 years or so, I can honestly say that I've been pretty bird obsessed so I would think that I would have noticed them.

I can remember always getting so excited to catch my first glimpse of them, or hear them at 4 am, because that was a true sign that spring was finally here.

But oddly enough, I keep seeing them everywhere here lately and it got me curious/half worried for them. I wish I could speak bird and tell them to pack their birdie suitcases and go because they will probably be in for a rude awakening soon! So far our weather hasn't been atrocious but I do think they'll regret it and get a rude awakening come January/February, and maybe even March, when it gets blustery and we could be under a few feet of snow.

I just read that sometimes Robins don't migrate but I think this is the first year I've noticed it here. Just curious if anyone else who lives in a cold climate has noticed Robins sticking around through winter? And if so, is that unusual to you?
 

Birdie Mama

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Hi,

in B.C. Canada, and ours migrate every year and like you always look forward to seeing them in the spring. Never heard of them sticking around! Strange, hope they find lots to eat
 

Hjarta5

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I havent seen any robins here in SW Michigan, but I noticed that Ive seen a lot of mourning doves hanging out at my bird feeder so far this winter. I read that they dont necessarily migrate if theres a good food source, ie bird feeders.
 

CrazyBirdChick

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Hi,

in B.C. Canada, and ours migrate every year and like you always look forward to seeing them in the spring. Never heard of them sticking around! Strange, hope they find lots to eat
Thanks for the reply! I hope they find enough food too!

I havent seen any robins here in SW Michigan, but I noticed that Ive seen a lot of mourning doves hanging out at my bird feeder so far this winter. I read that they dont necessarily migrate if theres a good food source, ie bird feeders.
Interesting! I've never given as much thought as to whether I've seen morning doves in the winter around here as I have with the robins. I have seen them this year too though! Thank you for the reply too!
 

Cynthia & Percy

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I live in the south where it does not snow in the winter I have noticed this year the birds have not migrated as much here
 

Toy

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Not all Robins migrate. Most only move far enough south to find food. The Robins you are seeing could have migrated to your area from north of you. They don't all go deep south for the winter. Our Robins usually leave in August. Then we get Robins showing up in November.

This article explains Robin migration: Why Are You Seeing Robins in Winter?
 

SandraK

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For as long as I can remember I never used to see Robins here (in Chicago) in the winter. They may have been here and I may have missed it. But for the last 15 years or so, I can honestly say that I've been pretty bird obsessed so I would think that I would have noticed them.

I can remember always getting so excited to catch my first glimpse of them, or hear them at 4 am, because that was a true sign that spring was finally here.

But oddly enough, I keep seeing them everywhere here lately and it got me curious/half worried for them. I wish I could speak bird and tell them to pack their birdie suitcases and go because they will probably be in for a rude awakening soon! So far our weather hasn't been atrocious but I do think they'll regret it and get a rude awakening come January/February, and maybe even March, when it gets blustery and we could be under a few feet of snow.

I just read that sometimes Robins don't migrate but I think this is the first year I've noticed it here. Just curious if anyone else who lives in a cold climate has noticed Robins sticking around through winter? And if so, is that unusual to you?
Funny that you posted about this because a bird & wildlife forum here in FL had a discussion about that. Depending on which area you live in, some people have robins around and others don't. I haven't seen any robins at all in my area (Palm Coast). So I checked it out online. Apparently some robins do migrate south but others will stay locally if the food supply has been plentiful that year. Like you and several others, when we were in IL robins were always a welcome sight because it meant the frozen tundra of the Midwest was preparing for spring.
 

CrazyBirdChick

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Not all Robins migrate. Most only move far enough south to find food. The Robins you are seeing could have migrated to your area from north of you. They don't all go deep south for the winter. Our Robins usually leave in August. Then we get Robins showing up in November.

This article explains Robin migration: Why Are You Seeing Robins in Winter?
Thank you so much for the info! I did come across that article before I posted here but it never occurred to me that the Robins I'm seeing now could be robins from somewhere else. That totally makes sense!

Right now we still do have some trees with rotten berries that I don't think we usually have at this time of year so I guess that's what attracts them to stay.

I just wonder how they know if they'll have enough food to sustain them for the entire season? And what happens if all of a sudden, god forbid, we have another polar vortex or blizzard or something? Will they decide to head to a warmer place in the heart of winter? Or are they stuck here now till spring? That might be a stupid question and if so, I'm sorry:dunce:

Funny that you posted about this because a bird & wildlife forum here in FL had a discussion about that. Depending on which area you live in, some people have robins around and others don't. I haven't seen any robins at all in my area (Palm Coast). So I checked it out online. Apparently some robins do migrate south but others will stay locally if the food supply has been plentiful that year. Like you and several others, when we were in IL robins were always a welcome sight because it meant the frozen tundra of the Midwest was preparing for spring.
That's so fascinating! Thanks for sharing as well! Is this a recent change? Or have Robins always done this? I wonder if it partially has to do with climate change?
 

Tiel Feathers

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We have Robins here right now when we usually don’t until spring. It has been very cold this week, but November was unseasonably warm. Downright hot some days. I was wondering if climate change had anything to do with it to.
 

itzmered

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Male robins are known to not migrate and from what I have read are very territorial
 

SandraK

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Tell me about it! When we were in IL Fred couldn't figure out why the driver's side of his truck was always covered in bird poop every morning when he'd leave for work. We came to discover that there was a robin duking it out on a daily basis with himself in the driver's side mirror. Fred ended up having to wind up his window with a plastic supermarket bag caught in it to stop the "fighting".
 

itzmered

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Tell me about it! When we were in IL Fred couldn't figure out why the driver's side of his truck was always covered in bird poop every morning when he'd leave for work. We came to discover that there was a robin duking it out on a daily basis with himself in the driver's side mirror. Fred ended up having to wind up his window with a plastic supermarket bag caught in it to stop the "fighting".
I had a female cardinal that did that. My husband had a turkey that attacked the reflection in the side of his car to the point it scratched all the paint up!
 

melissasparrots

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I'm seeing odd robin behavior here too. Every once in a while I run across a small cluster of them in the middle of winter near wood lot edges. However, this year, my favorite spot to hunt my Harris's hawk has them roosting in the thousands. Its quite distracting because the sound of all the robins makes it harder to hear his bells which help me locate him easily without having to take out the telemetry. Plus, he's abandoned our search for rabbits and quail and taken off on his own to try for a long shot at a robin. He's never been successful, but its annoying since they are off the menu legally. I hope they move on soon. Their behavior is quite different than the usual happy hopping robins you see in town during the summer. Very frantic, and almost swarm-like. Similar though less organized to a starling murmuration. And they don't seem to be particularly worried about my hawk either. Which is peculiar. Maybe they feel safer in numbers. I think the reason he hasn't nailed one is because he cant focus on just one. However, I am flying him a bit fat lately, so maybe he just likes to chase but isn't hungry enough to go for full effort.
 

Hawk12237

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SandraK

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I had a female cardinal that did that. My husband had a turkey that attacked the reflection in the side of his car to the point it scratched all the paint up!
It's funny until you realize the damage done. :facepalm::mad:
 

Laurul Feather Cat

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I think most of we older amateur naturalists have noticed a change in the migratory birds; changes since I was a late teen to now. I have always been a birder and note there are some cock Robins who are not migrating more and more as our winter weather warms. In Mechanicsburg there are a lot of bird feeders and they also can get a good feed along the RR tracks and glean in the small farm fields of Central PA. The most telling and important change in this area is the greater numbers and permanent coalitions of black vultures. There is a permanent colony thirty miles away in Steelton, PA; 30 or more in summer and 15 or 20 in winter. Harrisburg, PA is a meeting hub for at least three major Internet Highway routes, creating a large quantity of dead wildlife along the roads and providing easy meals for the vultures. Now that the weather is two to four degrees warmer than when I was a teen, it appears a lot of the vultures feel they can stay through the winter since there is a lot of food available.

If one drives north on I-83, you will see many, many dead deer along the roadsides. The trucks hit them so hard the deer actually fly apart and the number of vultures feeding on the parts along the road clean up on gore of it very quickly. Why go south if the food is there to help keep you warm? Believe me, the food supply is unending.
 
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CrazyBirdChick

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Thanks again for the replies everyone! The other day I heard them singing! It's almost 60 degrees here today which is highly unusual. I wonder if they're confused
 
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