This is one of my acrylic art paintings of three new born baby birds and the mother bird feeding them. I call it “Feed Me Momma”. It is the very epitome of the representation of spring because Robins are, as we know, the first sign of spring and bring a warm happy feeling to the viewer. I used a vibrant color of green and the flowers in the background are white cheery tree blossoms.
The American Robin is of the thrush family and is named after the European Robin yet the two species aren’t closely related. It has a sweet song that is said to bring on spring with a beautiful, complex and almost continuous cheery carol which differs in various areas and by the time of day. It is among the first birds to start singing at the crack of dawn that lasts till evening begins. The European variety range across Europe to North Africa and east to West Siberia and Iran. The American Robin is seen throughout North America, and the south of Canada from Florida to central Mexico and along the Pacific Coast.
Robins lay eggs early shortly after returning to its summer residence form its winter home. Robins usually have two to three hatchlings each breeding season from April to July. Their young in the nests are fed mostly on worms and other soft prey. Their clutch of three to five light blue eggs, are incubated by the female only. They take 14 days to hatch and the chicks are ready to leave the nest about two weeks after they are hatched.
They love to eat beetle grubs, caterpillars and grasshoppers. They like to find earth that has been disrupted looking for roots, earthworms, nuts and fruit and when feeding in flocks they watch others for reactions to predators.
Both the adult male and female protect and feed the chicks alarming of predators, with calls and dive-bombings and yet it is estimated that only 25% of young Robins survive the first year generally living about 2 years but possibly up to 14 years. Young Robins are threatened by snakes, squirrels, some birds like Crows, Blue Jays, and Ravens. Adults are mostly preyed upon by cats, large snakes, and hawks.
So loved by many, popular American songs have been written including “Rockin’ Robin, by Roger Thomas which was a big hit for Bobby Day and others. And who hasn’t heard “When the Red, Red Robin Comes Bob, Bob, Bobbin’ Along”, written by Harry M. Woods? Yes, this makes them very special among the bird family.
