The American Robin

Corrie Herring Hooks Series

by Roland H. Wauer

The American Robin is North America's most widespread songbird, with a range extending from Alaska, Canada, and Newfoundland to the highlands of Mexico and Guatemala. Its ruddy red breast and cheerful song have also made it one of our most beloved birds—as American as apple pie, as familiar a harbinger of spring as the first daffodil. Connecticut, Michigan, and Wisconsin have chosen the American Robin as their state bird, while a pair of robins grace the Canadian two dollar bill. In this book, Roland Wauer offers a complete natural history of the American Robin for a popular audience. Combining his own observations as a field naturalist with data gleaned from the scientific literature, he describes the American Robin from every angle—appearance and biology, distribution, behavior, life cycle, and enemies and threats. In addition, he explores the legends and lore surrounding robins and offers suggestions for attracting them to your yard.

93 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Roland Wauer is a retired National Park service interpreter and biologist for Big Bend National Park (Texas). Roland continues to work as a naturalist and scientist.

Reviews

[Evelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This fascinating monograph on the American robin compiles and synthesizes facts and data about the bird from various sources in an easy-to-read informative manner. It will appeal to ornithologists, birdwatchers, and those who simply want to learn more about these harbingers of spring.

The book loses a star due to its failure to include illustrations of the bird’s skeleton and anatomy in its discussion of the robin’s physiology, and its use of outdated reference material in the discussion of robin populations and related subjects.