The American Robin, known as "kwikweskas" in Abenaki, is cherished across North America.
Recognizable by their calls, their Abenaki name echoes these distinctive sounds.
These charismatic birds signify both spring's arrival and fall's onset with their presence.
During spring, they hunt for worms on lawns, while in fall, they form large migrating flocks.
These flocks travel between food sources and roosting sites using hardy fruiting trees and shrubs like Winterberry and crabapples.
While their widespread presence is known, the complete understanding of their seasonal movements remains incomplete.
Some robins breeding in Maine migrate to the Southeast, while others have more local seasonal movements.
American Robins from Maine have been spotted in Quebec, Chesapeake Bay, and coastal Carolina.
The migratory behavior is instinctual; even hand-reared juveniles displayed restlessness around dusk at just 14 days old.
Despite observations, the full scope of their movements remains a subject of ongoing research, adding to the mystique of these beloved birds.