FOR WAGGONER’S BIOLOGY 
89 
IV 
THE BEHAVIOR OF THE ROBIN AND THE 
RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD 
Observe the robin or red-winged blackbird daily throughout 
the spring months and keep a report of your observations in the 
form of a diary. A week before school closes write an account of 
the observations which you have recorded in your diary. 
I. What is the date of the first arrival? Note the increase in 
number from day to day. How long after the first arrival is the 
maximum number seen? Do the robins come singly or in flocks? 
Do they arrive by night or by day? Why do you think so? 
II. What characterizes the behavior of the early arrivals? 
Note any changes in the actions of the. birds as the spring ad¬ 
vances. What is the date of the first nest-building? Where is the 
nest located? Note the effect of the weather upon nest-building. 
What materials are used for the nest? What are the manner and 
arrangement of the materials? 
III. Note the date of the first appearance of eggs in the nest. 
What are the color, the size, and the number of the eggs? At 
what intervals are the eggs laid? Record the dates and the length 
of the period of incubation. What are the characteristics of the 
young birds? How long does it take the young to mature? (If 
your school closes before you have an opportunity to answer this 
question from observation, look up this fact in some book on birds.) 
What is the date when the young leave the nest? What is the color 
of the plumage at this time? The markings? Observe the be¬ 
havior of the young; of the parents when the young are in the 
nest and when the young leave the nest. 
IV. What do you observe to be the food of the adult? Of the 
young? How is it obtained? Study the birds as they appear 
upon the lawn when feeding. How do they obtain worms from the 
soil? 
