All birds

Across North America

American Robin

Turdus migratorius

Lawns, parks, woodland edges· 10 in / 25 cm

"A rusty orange chest and the head-tilt-and-listen pose on the lawn."

The story

Robins don't actually pull worms by sight alone — they cock their head to listen. Each spring, the male returns to the same territory and sings before sunrise, a soft cheerily-cheer-up that announces the dawn chorus.

Conservation

Robins are still common, but window collisions and pesticide-treated lawns kill millions each year.

One small thing you can do

Skip the lawn pesticide for one season — robins eat the bugs you don't want anyway.