Robins before the Storm

Until recently I thought that all Robins left for the winter. The State's Naturalist course let me know I was wrong.

Some robins stick around all winter, like these little guys that were enjoying winter at the Dunes before the big snow storm last week. Surviving the winter must be difficult for a bird that requires 14 feet of worms each day; that's about 28 worms.

But survive they do; on a winter diet of things like millet. Millet has a high protein content which serves a different niche than the seed other birds eat which is usually higher in fat. Robins are also said to be frequent visitors at bird feeders in the winter and might come to snack on fruit if offered.