PHOTO LIBRARY

American Robin / Merle d'Amérique (Turdus migratorius)

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

common   fairly common   uncommon   rare   occasional   no records

 

QUICK TIPS: 1) Check the greater coverts - some HY/SY birds retain outer coverts with white streaks along the centre shaft, though many do not 2) Check the alula - some HY/SY birds show a molt limit between a replaced (darker) alula covert and unreplaced (paler) alula 3) Examine the tail - HY/SY birds typically have grayish and narrow rectrices, while AHY/ASY birds have darker and broad rectrices; the extent of white on the outer rectrices does not seem to be a reliable predictor of age or sex 4) Examine the upper breast - it is uniformly dark orange on AHY/ASY males, orange with variable amounts of gray mottling on HY/SY males and AHY/ASY females, and pale orange with moderate to considerable mottling on HY/SY females; note also that HY birds of either sex may retain dark breast spots well into fall Intermediates are common and difficult to identify accurately, especially in spring; in most cases age and sex should be determined using a combination of characteristics Species account updated February 2009

January - July:

ASY - M Crown blackish, underparts rich orange; broad dark rectrices. ASY - F Crown dark brown/black, underparts orange; broad dark rectrices SY - M Generally paler than ASYs and with smaller white spots on the narrow and tapered outer rectrices.      SY - F Generally paler than ASYs and with smaller white spots on the narrow and tapered outer rectrices.

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June - December:

AHY - M Crown blackish, underparts a rich orange; rectrices broad and dark; no molt limits evident on wing. AHY - F Crown dark brown/black, underparts orange; rectrices broad and dark; no molt limits evident on wing. HY - M Crown brown, often with traces of black; rectrices somewhat tapered; often with molt limits among the alula and/or greater coverts.  Look for occasional retention of black spotting on breast and buff spotting on upperparts.  HY - F Generally the palest of all ages and sexes; rectrices somewhat tapered; often with molt limits among the alula and/or greater coverts.  Look for occasional retention of black spotting on breast and buff spotting on upperparts. JUV - U Prominent speckling on the breast; sexes indistinguishable

Generally paler than ASY males and with smaller white spots on the outer rectrices.  Check for occasional retention of juvenal black spots on the breast.

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SY robins can be easily recognized if they retain any juvenile greater coverts with white marks extending up along the shaft.  If these are not visible, check for older secondaries contrasting with 1-2 fresh tertials, as these are occasionally replaced in the first prebasic moult. In this example, note the two replaced inner greater coverts, that not only lack the pale tips of the outer greater coverts, but are longer and of better quality (narrower spacing between the barbs).

Photo by Peter Pyle, San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory (CA), April 2006
 

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SY birds generally have grayish to grayish brown tails, with tapered and relatively abraded rectrices, as these are not replaced during the first prebasic moult.  However, some ASY birds also have rather worn-looking tails, so caution must be used, and ageing should be done in combination with wing characteristics.

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Generally paler than ASY females and with smaller white spots on the outer rectrices.  Look for occasional retention of juvenal black spots on the breast.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), May 2005
 

Crown dark brown to black, underparts a rich rusty orange.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), October 2005
 

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The wing is generally a uniform gray, with broad, pale edged primary coverts, and often with narrow whitish tips to the greater coverts.  However, ageing based solely on the wing should be avoided because there is much variability in appearance. 

Photo by James Junda, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), October 2008

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), October 2005
 

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The rectrices are blackish, truncate, relatively fresh, and rather broad.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), October 2005

Photo by James Junda, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), October 2008

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Generally paler than AHYs and with smaller white spots on the outer rectrices.  Look for occasional retention of black/buff spotting on the underparts, or extensive gray/white tipping to the orange breast feathers.  Sexing HY robins is difficult and often cannot be done reliably, but individuals with dark brown or black in the face or crown are usually males.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), August 2005
 

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HY robins can be easily recognized if they retain any juvenile greater coverts with white marks extending up along the shaft, as in the photo below.  The outer primary coverts tend to be narrower and paler than those of AHY birds, but when fresh the difference can be difficult to distinguish.  Sometimes a molt limit exists between the alula and alula covert (not visible in this photo).  Because of the considerable variability in feather coloration on the wing, the tail should be used to confirm age unless the greater coverts, alula, and/or tertials are distinctly showing HY characteristics.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), August 2005
 

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HY birds generally have grayish to grayish brown tails, with tapered and relatively narrow rectrices.  However, there is considerable variation in tail appearance among both HY and AHY birds, and between subspecies, so tail characteristics should be used in combination with the wing.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), August 2005

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Generally the palest of all ages and sexes and with limited white spots on the outer rectrices.  Look for occasional retention of black/buff spotting on the underparts, or extensive gray/white tipping to the orange breast feathers.  Sexing HY robins is difficult and often cannot be done reliably, but individuals with a very pale orange breast and entirely lacking dark brown or black in the face or crown are usually females.

Photos by Marcel Gahbauer, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), October 2004
 

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HY robins can be easily recognized if they retain any juvenile greater coverts with white marks extending up along the shaft, as in the photo below.  The outer primary coverts tend to be narrower and paler than those of AHY birds, but when fresh the difference can be difficult to distinguish.  Sometimes a molt limit exists between the alula and alula covert (not visible in this photo).  Because of the considerable variability in feather coloration on the wing, the tail should be used to confirm age unless the greater coverts, alula, and/or tertials are distinctly showing HY characteristics.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), October 2005
 

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HY birds generally have grayish to grayish brown tails, with tapered and relatively narrow rectrices.  However, there is considerable variation in tail appearance among both HY and AHY birds, and between subspecies, so tail characteristics should be used in combination with the wing.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), October 2005

Until their first prebasic moult, juveniles are heavily marked with dark spots on the breast; sex can generally not be assessed at this age.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), September 2008

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), August 2005
 

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There are frequently white streaks visible along the shaft of the greater coverts on juvenile American Robins.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), August 2008
 

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The rectrices of juvenile American Robins are grayish and fairly narrow and tapered.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), August 2005

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), September 2008

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