[Tweeters] Wintering vs. Migrants

[Robert O'Brien]

Here is another way to tell.  A couple of weeks ago, after
intermittent snowfall, we had a flock of 15-20 American Robins in a field
where patches of the snow had melted.  They were all males in high breeding
plumage, with their black heads and full, bright, off-red breasts.  Clearly
these were migrants, although none were singing.
Bob OBrien  Portland


On Sun, Mar 19, 2023 at 1:56 AM Michael Price <loblollyboy at gmail.com> wrote:


> This time of year there's always the same problem: are the birds you're

> seeing the first northbound migrants or the wintering population?

>

> Crude rule of thumb:

> silent - wintering

> singing - northbound migrant males (northbound males usually precede

> northbound females in order to secure territory ahead of rival males).

>

> Back East, in London ON, during the winter months we'd have winter robins,

> Turdus migratorius, race nigrideus, always silent but for calls, but we

> could always know when our Eastern Robin T.m migratorius, our breeding

> species arrived about March 9, singing.

>

> best, m

>

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