| Birds: Behavior | Winter Robins Tradition places the appearance of the American Robin as a harbinger of spring. This may be why each winter the Massachusetts Audubon Society receives hundreds of reports of robin sightings, sometimes numbering hundreds of birds. Actually, robins have been known to overwinter in Massachusetts since at least the early 1900s. The number of wintering robins depends largely on the severity of the weather and the abundance of food.
 Overall, the number of robins in Massachusetts has increased greatly throughout this century. Suburban landscapes are very beneficial to robins, both ornamental plantings and open green lawns provide an abundance of feeding and nesting habitat.
RANGE
In general, the nesting, or summer, range of robins extends from the tree limit in northern North America to southern Mexico, and the winter range covers southern Canada to Guatemala. Although many robins do spend the winter in Massachusetts, they are not necessarily the same robins that are here in the summer. It is likely that robins wintering in Massachusetts migrate to northern New England or Canada. Most of the robins that breed in Massachusetts migrate to the southern states with the onset of cold weather in the fall.
SURVIVING COLD WEATHER
Most birds that regularly winter in New England are well suited to withstand cold temperatures. In the fall, many birds grow additional feathers for insulation. To keep warm while roosting, birds fluff their feathers. Because of the way their feathers are layered, this behavior traps pockets of warm air next to the skin.
During winter days, many birds feed almost continually, storing up fat which they burn off at night to keep warm.
 FOOD
During the warm months, a robin with an earthworm in its beak is a familiar sight. In addition to worms, they eat many insects and ground-dwelling larvae, as well as caterpillars, grasshoppers, and beetles.
In winter, robins are nomadic, flying in flocks and eating the berries of trees and shrubs that hold their fruit through the winter: Red Cedar, American Holly, Hawthorn, and certain dogwood and crab apple species are favorites. As they deplete the food sources in one location they move on in search of a new supply.
FEEDING ROBINS
There isn't much one can feed robins in the winter. They are very adept at finding their preferred food and rarely visit feeding stations. During severe weather, robins may eat bread, raisins, and pieces of apples placed on the ground; but it is more likely that squirrels will find these treats first.
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