American Robin
What do we know about the American robin?
Why is a robin called a robin? The American robin is called that way because it has an orange-reddish chest like the robin from Europe, but they are not related. Robins live in North America and Mexico. We met them in Guatemala (Central America), and they became the heroes in our book.
The robin's name in Latin is "Turdus migratorius." Turdus means thrush. A thrush is a small or medium bird with a brown back and a loud song. Personally, I like the sound of the word Turdus because it remainds me of the word "sturdy;" robins look to me like very handsome, sturdy birds. Migratorius comes from the Latin verb "migrare," which means "to go." When it gets cold and the food is difficult to find, it flies South to a place where it can be comfortable, build a nest, lay its eggs, and take care of its chicks.
What do robins eat?
Robins feast on earthworms, grasshoppers, beetles, berries and fruits. They have very good hearing and vision, and can detect with ease their pray under the ground. Robins must love sprinklers, as the water makes the worms come out to the surface, to the delight of our red breasted friends! The same happens when somebody is digging in the garden.
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| A spider | A caterpillar | A prayingmantis | A grasshopper | Wildberries |
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| A moth | A snail | A beetle | A butterfly | A ladybug |
What is their nest like?
Robins make their nests above the ground, in the trees, bushes, or other places that give them good protection. They often choose comfortable spaces in proximity of humans. The materials used to make the nest are twigs, grass, strings, and many other materials of that sort. The bottom of their nest is plastered with mud and softened with feathers and leaves. In our story, the robins made their nest between the branches of a Fish-Tail Palm Tree.
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How many eggs do robins lay?
Usually between 2 and 5, but sometimes more. In our story there was only one egg. Robin's eggs are blue. The female robin sits on the eggs for 14 days. The male keeps her company by singing beautiful tunes, especially early in the morning and at dusk. The hatchlings are naked when born, and their eyes are closed. The mother stays with the babies all the time. Both parents feed the chicks, as the growing youngsters have enormous appetites. The nest is very clean because the parents take out all the poop! The chicks leave the nest after 14 days, and stay low on the ground. During that time they are called fledglings. The parents continue to feed them, always aware of where their babies are located.
How many eggs do you see in each picture? |
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