How to attract American Robin

Be aware that habitat type more than any other factor, will in most cases, dictate the species of bird that visit your property.

How to Attract American Robin

Perhaps the most well-known American songbird, the Robin is a common sight (and sound) on suburban lawns, in woodlands, and in parks. Robin upperparts are blackish-gray and underparts are a rusty red on the male and a pale red-orange on the female. When on the lawn, a Robin is almost certainly looking for one thing…earthworms. If you would like to attract robins to your yard, start by creating a welcome habitat for earthworms. However, if you are uninterested in going through what can be a muddy, worm-habitat-building process, another option is to purchase Mealworms – live or dried. Robins will also eat ground-dwelling insects; their favorites include grasshoppers and caterpillars. In the fall and winter months, Robins shift their diet to include berries. Some of their favorite berry producing trees and shrubs include: Flowering Dogwood, Pokeweed, and American Elderberry. A  nesting shelf can be used in attempt to attract a pair of breeding robins, though Robins are not very selective in choosing nesting sites; they have been documented nesting in gutters and on top of street lights. Mud is an important component to Robin nest construction. Robins will occasionally eat hulled sunflower seeds and dried fruits if left on the ground or in a Ground Feeder. Robins use birdbaths.                                                                                      

Best Ways to Attract American Robin

• Earthworm-Friendly Yard
• Flowering Dogwood
• Wild Grape
• Birdbath
• American Holly

Trees & Shrubs that Attract American Robin

• American Holly (Fruit, Nesting)
• American Elderberry (Fruit)
• American Mountain Ash (Fruit)
• Arrowwood Viburnum (Fruit)
• Blackgum (Fruit)
• Common Juniper (Fruit)
• Crabapple (Fruit)
• Eastern Hemlock (Nesting)
• Eastern Red Cedar (Fruit)
• Eastern White Pine (Nesting)
• Flowering Dogwood (Fruit)‍
• Huckleberry (Fruit)‍
• Hackberry (Fruit)‍
• Hawthorn (Fruit)‍
• Northern Bayberry (Fruit)‍
• Red Mulberry (Fruit)‍
• Red-Twig Dogwood (Fruit)‍
• Serviceberry (Fruit)‍
• Spicebush (Fruit)‍
• Sumac (Fruit)‍
• Wild Cherry (Fruit)‍
• Winterberry (Fruit)

Flowers & Vines that Attract American Robin

• Partridge Berry (Fruit)
• Pokeweed (Fruit)
• Virginia Creeper (Fruit)
• Wild Blueberry (Fruit)
• Wild Grape (Fruit)

Attracting American Robin with a Bird Feeder

• Feeder Type:
• Ground
• Platform
• Suet Feeder
• Feed:
• Hulled Sunflower
• Mealworms
• Suet

American Robin Information

American Robin Identification:

• Large sized bird
• Male: blackish-gray, rusty red breast, yellow beak with black tip
• Female: blackish-gray, pale red-orange breast, yellow beak with black tip

American Robin Habitat:

• Open Woodland
• Backyards
• Note: affinity for mud

American Robin Eating Habits:

• Spring/Summer: earthworms, insects
• Fall/Winter: insects, berries

American Robin Nesting:

• Shrubs, trees (low), man-made structures