Do Robins Migrate?

According to the American Bird Conservancy, it’s not cold temperatures that typically cause robins to travel.1 These birds withstand very cold weather. In fact, some flocks overwinter as far north as Canada. But they do move about in search of food, and depending on food availability, their winter range may be quite variable. If snows are heavy or fruit becomes sparse, robins become nomadic, moving from one location to another in search of more favorable foraging opportunities.

In spring, flocks break up as nesting season approaches. Soft, damp soil invites worm and grub hunting, which provides a high-protein diet to raise a brood. Though you may think your spring robins have flown in from warmer climates, they may actually have spent the winter nearby. 

Provide Food

Robins love worms. During breeding season, you may see an adult flying back to its nest, worm in mouth, to feed its brood. They also eat insects, spiders, grubs, and even snails as they roam your backyard at ground level. 

How can you encourage more robin visitors? “Eliminating pesticide use in one's space and creating a habitat that attracts insects would be helpful,” says Adam Betuel, the Executive Director of Birds Georgia. The use of pesticides reduces the availability of these important food sources, and robins are susceptible to pesticide poisoning, so avoid using pesticides in your landscape, including your lawn.

In addition to worms and bugs, “robins eat a lot of fruit, especially in the winter, and the correct trees in your space can keep them hanging around,” states Betuel. It is estimated that robins eat the fruit of more than 50 species of plants. Betuel suggests planting locally native plants that produce fruit and berries, which will also attract other thrushes, waxwings, and tanagers, among others.

The fruit of chokecherries, hawthorn, dogwood, sumac, and juniper are some of their favorites. Other good sources of winter food for robins include wild blueberries, hackberry, American beautyberry, possumhaw, wax myrtle, and holly.

Understanding the Feeding Habits of Robins

Once a flock has depleted the fruit and/or berries available in your yard, they’ll probably pack up and seek food elsewhere. Bottom line: the more berry and fruit-producing native plants you grow, the longer robins are likely to stay.

Robins do not typically visit bird feeders, as they are not regular seed eaters. But they are more likely to visit an open tray feeder than a typical hanging feeder that attracts most songbirds. “If using feeders, suet and mealworms on platform feeders could all be attractive to a robin,” says Betuel.

Add a Water Feature

Betuel suggests that a water feature or bird bath is another way to keep your robins around. Robins need a source of fresh water both for drinking and grooming. If you can add some movement to your water feature, like a bubbler or fountain, the sound of moving water helps attract them.

In winter, add a heater to the bird bath to prevent freezing. Be sure to keep your bird bath clean by scrubbing it regularly.

Create a Welcoming Habitat

“Robins typically nest in trees, using lower horizontal branches,” says Betuel. A yard with as many trees as possible is not only ideal for nesting but also protects the birds from predators. 

Robins often produce three broods a season, building their nests out of grass and mud. The female selects the nesting site, which is usually 5 to 15 feet off the ground, in a tree or shrub, or on a window ledge. 

“Good food resources, habitat diversity, low-cut grass, native plants, and no outdoor cats are all ways to support American robins,” says Betuel.