[466] BIRDS OF OREGON 



The bird is too well known to warrant any extended comment. This, 

 or the Western Robin, is a familiar dooryard bird in every part of the 

 State, and there are few ornithologists whose early interest was not 

 stimulated by watching this bird pulling worms from the lawn grass. 

 As would be expected, the notes on this species are more extended than 

 for any other, and an historical resume of the literature would involve 

 a recitation of all the major papers on Oregon birds. It is sufficient to 

 say that since Lewis and Clark (1814) noted it at the mouth of the 

 Columbia on February 15, 1806, it has been included in every list of birds 

 of this territory or any of its subdivisions. 



Chapman (Multnomah 1879) reported an albino robin from Portland, 

 an interesting fact in view of our now well-established annual outbreaks 

 of newspaper reports of albino robins in that vicinity. There seems to be 

 a marked albinistic strain in the birds of that locality, as we see one or 

 more albinos each season and have collected several. 



The robin's mud-cupped nest, greenish-blue eggs, and spotted-breasted 

 young are familiar to every bird student. Beginning in early May, the 

 parents are seen leading little squads of squalling youngsters over the 

 lawns and through the bushes, a daily sight until well into July, as two 

 and sometimes three broods are raised by this abundant bird, which has 

 a long breeding season. Nests with full sets of eggs have been noted from 

 April ii to July 8. Jewett (i92.8a) observed an odd and interesting inci- 

 dent near Portland. He saw a Russet-backed Thrush repeatedly feed 

 young fledgling robins, voluntary assistance probably greatly appreciated 

 by the hard-working parents. 



When the strawberries and cherries are ripe the robins take their toll. 

 Later they switch to wild fruits, leaving the less edible fruits, such as 

 snowberries and rose hips, for emergency winter rations. In the fall 

 months, they are found in the mountains feasting on the ripening moun- 

 tain-ash berries and the squads that remain about the town see that any 

 such trees planted as ornamentals do not lack for attention. A sudden 

 snowstorm often concentrates the birds, and on such occasions the snow- 

 berries in the bottoms or the red berries of the ornamental cotoneasters 

 soon vanish under the onslaught of the hungry hordes. Sometimes the 

 robins come alone, but on other occasions they are accompanied by 

 Varied Thrushes, Evening Grosbeaks, or sleek Bohemian Waxwings. 



In good berry years in the extensive juniper forests near Redmond, the 

 robins gather in great winter roosts that in the evening look like huge 

 swarms of bees as the birds swirl over the treetops in the twilight before 

 settling down for the night. It is one of the real winter bird sights of 

 eastern Oregon, and it is worth a trip to that section to watch the great 

 numbers of birds entering and leaving the roost. In February or early 

 March, these roosts begin to break up as the arrival of birds from farther 

 south swell the robin population. 



