“What the Robin Knows”

Named after the book by Jon Young that was foundational for this songbird series, this piece highlights a quintessential spring bird: the American Robin. Native tribes of the Great Plains associated Robin with the sun’s return, with their rosy orange-red chests and sun-ray yellow beaks. The white ring around Robins’ eyes was also associated with wisdom and prophetic vision.

Robins bring us hope of spring renewal, rejuvenation, new growth, and cheer. In spring and summer, they’re often seen close by, tugging an earthworm out of the yard or singing their cheerful caroling song atop a roof or tree. In the fall and winter, they’re still around most areas of the U.S. but roosting in treetops by the thousands! Diet is typically worms in the morning (the early bird gets the worm!) and fruit later in the day.

If they’ve nested on or near your home, you’ve likely witnessed the nest made of mud, twigs, and grass. Females build these with some help from the males, and males help feed the young, from first hatch to fledgling juvenile. I challenge you to get to know the different calls of your Robin neighbor—they can tell you a lot!

Original mixed media on raw stretched canvas.