Thrushes
American Robin
Turdus migratorius
Robins are not classic seed-feeder birds. Mealworms and fruit are the reliable offerings; a tray near the ground works better than a hanging tube.
- Food to offer
- Mealworms
- Fruit
- Feeder that suits it
- Ground, platform or tray
- Size
- Medium
- When to expect it
- Year-round in many areas; moves with weather
- Region
- Widespread
Photos of American Robin
4 imagesFeeding American Robin at a glance
For someone putting out food for the first time.
What to put out
- Mealworms
- Fruit
- Berries
Best feeder and placement
Ground, platform or tray. Not a seed-feeder bird.
How it behaves at the feeder
Hunts worms and insects on lawns. Takes mealworms and fruit from a tray, especially in cold spells.
How to recognise it
Grey-brown above with a warm orange breast and a dark head. Runs and stops on lawns.
Often confused with
Eastern Bluebird — Bluebird is blue above with a rusty breast; robin is grey-brown with a full orange breast.
One thing to watch
Do not expect a robin at a seed feeder. Mealworms and fruit are the offers that work.
Why the seed feeder fails
Robins eat earthworms, insects and fruit. A tube of sunflower is not a food source for them, so a robin on the lawn is not a robin that will use your feeder.
The offers that work are mealworms and fruit, placed low. A tray on or near the ground is far more likely to be used than anything hanging.
The lawn is the feeder
Robins hunt by running and stopping on open ground, watching for movement. A lawn treated with insecticide is a poor hunting ground; an untreated lawn with some leaf litter and bare patches is a good one.
In cold snaps, when the ground freezes, robins switch to fruit — which is when a fruit tray becomes genuinely useful.
Common questions
Why won't robins use my seed feeder?
They are not seed eaters. Mealworms and fruit on a low tray are the offers that work.
Do robins migrate?
Many are resident in milder areas, while northern birds move south. Their movements often follow weather and food rather than a fixed calendar.
Are they a sign of spring?
Not reliably. Robins can be present all winter in many areas; their behaviour changes with the weather more than the season.