American Robin

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American Robin
Photo Information
Copyright: Rob Fry (arfer) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2686 W: 67 N: 9197] (28756)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-04-25
Categories: Birds
Camera: Nikon D70S, Nikon AF VR 80-400 ED, Hoya Super HMC Pro1 77mm UV
Exposure: f/7.1, 1/250 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): CeltickRanger's favorite photos of singing birds [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2008-05-08 19:21
Viewed: 465
Points: 58
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
American Robin (Turdus migratorious)

American Robins begin to arrive at their breeding grounds in southern areas of Canada in early March and continue to arrive at northern breeding areas until as late as mid-May. Flocks of up to a dozen males arrive first as the snow recedes; females sometimes arrive the same day but are usually a week, or even more, behind their mates. Robins generally remain together for the breeding season, but often mate with other individuals the following year. Most breeding adults return to the same general area each year, but young birds usually nest elsewhere.
Courtship is hard to define in the robin and usually takes place on the ground. Numerous fights occur during this period. Courtship includes courtship feeding, where the male feeds the female; ceremonial gaping, where the males and females approach each other and touch widely opened bills; and singing.
The male may visit the area where the nest will be located before the nest is built, and he may bring nesting material to his mate, but the female chooses the nest site and builds the nest. Although robins prefer to nest about 3 m above ground in spruce and maple trees, they readily adapt to a wide range of vegetation and built structures. They will even nest on the ground. Robins also reuse nests from the previous year, either their own or those of other species such as the Eastern Phoebe, the Catbird, the Common Grackle, and the Baltimore Oriole. Sometimes they build a new nest on top of an old one, which may have yet another nest under it, and lay the eggs in the new nest at the top.
The female makes the cup-shaped nest of mud mixed with grasses or small twigs and frequently with string, scraps of cloth, and small bits of paper. She works mud into place with her feet and bill, moulds it with her body, and lines the nest with fine grass. She takes from two to six days to build the nest, making an average of 180 trips a day, with mud or grass, during the peak building period. If the weather is bad, she may delay occupying the nest for as many as 20 days.
In southern Canada, the first clutch, or set of eggs, is laid in late April or early May. This is commonly followed by a second clutch and, at times, when conditions are favourable, a third. Nests may still contain eggs in early August. A clutch of three or four eggs is common.
The eggs are the familiar robin’s-egg blue, though white ones, rarely brown spotted, do occur. The female generally begins incubating, or warming, the eggs after the last egg is laid, and she continues incubating for an average of 12 days. She usually sits on the eggs for 40-minute periods, then stands on the rim of the nest, turns the eggs, and flies off for a break. The male frequently stands guard when he is not in the feeding area and may occasionally sit on the eggs.
The nestling period lasts from 13 to 16 days. The next clutch is usually started about 40 days after the first egg of the year, but females often start the second nest, including laying the eggs, before the first group of young is independent. Sometimes the overlap is extensive, with the second clutch begun before the first nestlings are out of the nest. When this happens, the male cares for the first nestlings.
The young weigh about 5.5 g when they hatch. Fed by both parents, they each receive an average of 35 to 40 meals a day. The parents keep the nests clean by carrying away or eating the chicks’ fecal sacs.
When they are about 13 days old, the young leave the nest, travelling up to 45 m on the first day. They may remain in the parents’ territory for three weeks and may be fed by the male while his mate is on the next clutch. The young become independent of the parents at four weeks.
Photo:
Cropped
Sharpened
RAW to Jpeg
Frame Added
Reduced for TN
CeltickRanger, jusninasirun, Art_R, Gert-Paassen, gracious, rcrick, Jamesp, haraprasan, gannu, Juyona, MMM, eqshannon, darwin, jaycee, rousettus, maurydv, vanderschelden, bobcat08, angela926, saeedabbasi, Hil, pierrefonds has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hello Rob. Your Robin looks very different than ours. This is very nicely captured in the ground with grass and twig under bright light. Excellent detail and sharpness of the plumage. Thanks for sharing and best regards. Jusni

  • Great 
  • Art_R Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 160 W: 13 N: 344] (1303)
  • [2008-05-08 21:03]

Hi Rob , very good detailed photograph , nice out of focus background , and good color too. TFS

Regards

Art

  • Great 
  • demeve Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 500 W: 8 N: 1003] (3704)
  • [2008-05-08 21:58]

Hello Rob,

Very beautiful Robin, the bird has very nice colors.
Great sharpness and excellent POV, you also composed it
very well.. Well done

Everton

Hello Rob,

Beautiful robin and good of sharpness and detail.
Looks on a coloured blackbird.
Nice pose.

Gert

Hello Rob,
Very nicely captured of this beautiful Robin!
the details on the top plummage is awesome!
the image is sharp with good colour and superb details
well done
Tony

  • Great 
  • rcrick Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 544 W: 39 N: 953] (3132)
  • [2008-05-08 22:40]

Hi Rob,

Beautiful shot of this little American Robin, wonderful detail and colours, and I really like that low POV, gives a great perspective to the shot,

Cheers Rick :)

  • Great 
  • Jamesp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1180 W: 0 N: 4310] (12630)
  • [2008-05-08 22:51]

Hi Rob

A great close-up and POV with good colour and lovely detail. Well observed and captured.


James

  • Great 
  • pvs Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1133 W: 259 N: 2398] (10775)
  • [2008-05-08 22:54]

Hi Rob,

A great colored and detailed capture of your robin,its got a good dof and a low POV,well seen and captured,tfs

Paul

  • Great 
  • Janice Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3317 W: 144 N: 5601] (16553)
  • [2008-05-09 0:15]

These look quite dofferent from the English Robins that I often see on TN. They have more orange plumage.
Good capture Rob, and interesting notes too,
TFS
Janice

Hi Rob,
A nice capture of this beautiful robin bird. Sharp details and an excellent composition. Thanks a lot for sharing.

  • Great 
  • gannu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 704 W: 4 N: 1729] (8204)
  • [2008-05-09 1:49]

Hello Rob, Very nice shot and superb eye view. nice color of the feather and great clarity. Ganesh

  • Great 
  • Juyona Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 2045 W: 6 N: 1780] (12430)
  • [2008-05-09 2:01]

Hola amigo,
bella captura,
plumaje e iluminación estupenda,
bonito pov.
saludos Rob

  • Great 
  • MMM Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 738 W: 0 N: 1444] (6480)
  • [2008-05-09 6:46]

Hello Rob
Very nice presentation.I like that ground level view.Nice POV and sharp image.I also like that catch light in the eye.Good text to.
TFS Michel

Hello Rob, this is a wonderfully detailed shot, you have got the lighting and contrast with the background spot on..very good composition. best regards h

Ahhh then Rob..You have done it once more with a Nikon and a Robin. Certainly you had to do some PP in this. the Nikon doesn't seem to like robins...unless the newer models understand them better than my old D50....I hear rumours the D3 reads technical and sees with quasi human eyes...but until I can afford a new car, home and castle...I shall be stuck only wondering....and then I have your images to see which look worth 6 grand at least!
Bob

Hi Rob
Very nice capture with splendid color tones in the feathers
Great detail and great catchlite
tfs jon

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1640 W: 8 N: 3989] (12780)
  • [2008-05-09 8:52]

Hi Rob,

Do I have to go up to Canada to see an American Robin? This is a beauty - his beak is opened and I can almost hear him singing. Beautiful colors - excellent details and a good setting.

Jane

Hello Rob,
two weeks ago, I saw your great Amrican robin post. This is also great. It is really very beautiful thrush with beautiful colored plumage. Sharpness, details, composition and eyes contact really great. thanks. best wishes
Ahmet

  • Great 
  • mariki Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 846 W: 70 N: 1573] (6883)
  • [2008-05-09 10:45]

Hello Rob,

Very nice picture of this american robin. Good POV, DOF and sharpness. Light and colours are very good too. This species looks so different from the european robin.
Cheers,
Mariki

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1033 W: 58 N: 2043] (6845)
  • [2008-05-09 10:52]

Hello Rob,
Through the low POV this is an very beautiful photo. Excellent sharpness, details, clear colours and DOF.
Regards,
Peter

Splendido primo piano, ottimi POV e DOF, molto bella la composizione con la posa a terra, eccellente nitidezza e bellissimi i dettagli del becco e dell'occhio e la lucentezza del piumaggio, bellissimi i colori, Grazie e complimenti. Ciao Maurizio

Excellent work, Rob.
Beautiful bird. Very good photo.
Sharpness, exposure,...everything is okay.
TFS
Annick

hello Rob

you did a great shot of this American Robin on his singing
or launching his call action, very fine POV, DOF and framing,
i love the low POV at the level of the bird and the pose
of the Robin, wonderful luminosity of the image
with great sharpness and details, TFS

Asbed

Hello Rob,

This bird looks a like of the Blackbird (Turdus merula)(I think the same family ??)The difference is the red brest. Beautiful shot of this bird. Very good detail and sharpness of the plumage. POV, DOF and BG are oké. A very comprehensive note. Have a nice day and TFS BOB

  • Great 
  • EOSF1 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1250 W: 103 N: 4154] (18911)
  • [2008-05-10 5:48]

Hello Rob! Great picture of the Robin, very good details, fine exposure and lovely composition, thanks!

Mario

Hello Rob,
Great capture of this lovely american robin, excellent sharpness and superb details, beautioful natural colors. lovley light and nice background.
Angela

bonjour rob
bien que le POV au ras du sol ne soit pas ce qui rend le mieux,vous avez reussi un belle image avec du detail et une tres belle luminosité qui rend le couleurs tres vives.
laurent

Hi dear Rob ,
Great shot from this nice bird.
Beautiful colours and nice light.

Kind regards
Saeed

  • Great 
  • Hil Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 777 W: 11 N: 1403] (4593)
  • [2008-05-12 11:33]

Hi Rob

Wonderful shot of the American Robin.
Lovely pose with a great POV too.
Nice sharp Feather details and I like the dirty beak too.
Beautiful colours and excellent exposure.
Great note too!.

Hil

Hi Rob,

The american robin seem to be on alert. The point of view is showing the details and colors of the bird. The colors are enhanced by the light. The photo is clear and sharp. Have a nice day.

Pierre

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