We saw our first robin at the house on Saturday. It was this one in the picture and I managed to get a shot of him chomping on a worm -- lucky me. Worms totally gross me out. I like the fact that the robins eat them, but watching them makes me queasy. Sometimes the worms are so long that they flip and fling all over the robin's head. Stuff like that makes me want to faint. Show me a python crawling around the yard and I'm okay, but a tiny earthworm and I'm all a-quivers. Worms and me just do not mix -- no way.
American robins are common birds. Hundreds of thousands can gather together in a roost during the winter. Earthworms {{{shudder}}} are an important part of their diet during breeding season. In the winter they eat mostly fruits. Robins can produce three broods a year, but only 40% of the nests will produce chicks. Even then, only 25% of those will survive to the month of November. Despite those odds, robins can live as long as 14 years. If you've ever seen a robin dash across your yard and stop suddenly, you'll notice he probably turns his head to one side. Robins hunt by sight, not sound, but you'd think it was the other way around. Thank God for the American robin -- after all, something has to eat all those hideous worms!
cute video! luved it! :0)
ReplyDeleteI remember that I would make it my mission at recess to save the worms that washed up on the pavement after a storm before the boys would stomp on them. My friends and I would pick up as many as we could and put them back in the ground. Kind of gives me the creeps to think about it now.
Yay for robins and spring time!
Christy
Ooooh Christy -- just the thought of that gives me the eebie jeebies! I HATED being outside at school when it rained just because of the worms. I'd walk around on my tippy toes. {{{shudder}}}
ReplyDeleteThat was kind of a strange video clip, wasn't it? Looks like it was taken off the Disney Channel. I was trying to find one with the original Bobby Day, and not the version Michael Jackson did.
I was already singing this song to myself when I saw today's blog title. Tweet, tweet, tweet!
ReplyDeleteVery catchy song!
I saw my first robin last week in our yard, I got so excited!
Speaking of worms, my son and daughter love to dig for worms, they did this in our yard on Saturday!
LOL I always thought that robins found worms by sound. Learn something new everyday! That is a neat picture. I saw a robin here on Friday. Happy Spring!
ReplyDeleteNancy
Fun video clip! Yeah! Spring is on its way. We had some buds break free yesterday. Little spots of green poking out here and there.
ReplyDeleteGreat photo Rena.
ReplyDeleteThe other day I watched as Ryan and Jess were looking at a potato bug. I was nearby and I could hear Ryan 'teaching' Jess all about the bug, where it was going, what it ate etc. He made it all up but it sounded good. I told them to be gentle and not touch the bug and they understood. When we were ready to leave Jess ran for the van and I turned back to watch Ryan say "Bye bug... and step on it!" I asked him why and he said "Mom, the only good bug is a dead bug!" (oops - I am guessing he heard that from me!)
Not really related except bugs are to me what worms are to you!
I was never bothered by worms until I went fishing with my husband and had to put one on the end of a hook. Having their guts all over my hands was pretty unpleasant. My son likes to go out after it rains and pick up worms from off the street and throw them back into the grass so they don't get run over. I guess so his dad has more to feed to the fish...
ReplyDeleteCool! They are quite different to what we call robins over here.
ReplyDeleteWe had robins here this winter. They hung out for about three weeks. Usually they only stay for a day or two. I found out they go where the food is so they don't always migrate to the same place which is why we see them some years and not others. We love it when they come around.
ReplyDeleteAs for earthworms, I have a deep fondness for them, for without them the earth would be packed hard and things would have difficulty growing.
I'm still to devastated to talk about birds after Koda and my adventure on Saturday...grin...
ReplyDeleteWe've seen a couple of Robins in the yard the last couple of days...spring is here...!!!