Robins And Airplanes

The red breasted birds barely notice the lingering sound of engines roaring in the background as they busily go about their day collecting and picking about, forever searching for another piece of their life's ongoing puzzle. Perched at the very top of the tallest tree sits the fattest and oldest of the robins. He curiously watches the planes in the distance, an inkling of wonder and curiosity overcoming his little mind just before something down below catches his eye and off he goes. The American Robin is a migratory songbird of the thrush family. It is widely distributed throughout North America, wintering south of Canada from Florida to central Mexico and along the Pacific Coast. It is the state bird of Connecticut, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Its diet consists of invertebrates (such as beetle grubs and caterpillars), fruits and berries. It is one of the earliest bird species to lay eggs, beginning to breed shortly after returning to its summer range from its winter range. Its nest consists of long coarse grass, twigs, paper, and feathers, and is smeared with mud and often cushioned with grass or other soft materials. It is among the first birds to sing at dawn, and its song consists of several discrete units that are repeated. The adult robin is preyed upon by hawks, cats and larger snakes, but when feeding in flocks, it can be vigilant and watch other birds for reactions to predators. This species was first described in 1766 by Carl Linnaeus in the twelfth edition of his Systema Naturae as Turdus migratorius. The term 'robin' for this species has been recorded since at least 1703. There are about 65 species of medium to large thrushes in the genus Turdus, characterized by rounded heads, longish pointed wings, and usually melodious songs.