Welcome
Robins, a
Favorite Sign of Spring!
The return of the robin has always been a favorite sign of spring
in North America's northern regions. Students can track robin
migration from the southern states all the way to the Arctic —
where robins don't usually arrive until May!
Where
Do Robins Spend the Winter?
This study begins with a Winter Robin Round-up, a mid-winter
census conducted by students in backyards across North America.
Students
learn where robins are found before their migration begins. They
can track the migration to their own backyards when
citizen scientists like themselves start reporting sightings!
How
Do You Know When Your Robins Arrive?
When their own robin reaches the end of its migration, the
bird announces its arrival by singing its territorial
song. The robin's territorial song is the simplest
method for tracking spring robin migration.
Thank
YOU, Citizen Scientists!
Professional scientists
focusing on robins can use the data from Journey North's citizen scientists
in many ways, so reporting your sightings is important.
The data help scientists for tracking robin movements from year
to year. People are
still trying to figure out the migratory
patterns of robins, so they may try to see if there are correlations
between where robins are and what
food is available, what the average temperature is, and other variables.
Comparing the timing of migration from year to year may also give
insights
about climate change. Your sightings can help solve puzzling questions
important to us all!
| What
to Watch For
We are collecting observations of wintering robins, the
first robins, 'waves' of migrating robins, and first earthworms.
Use this checklist to
discover all the robin life cycle events you can observe
this spring!
|
|
