Bird with Speckled Breast
What kind of a bird has a speckled breast? I found out that some thrushes do, but this bird is a juvenile robin. Makes sense, since last summer I asked the same question about the speckled breast. Thanks, Michelle, for identifying my young robin.
Just last week I saw baby robins in a nest; when my daughter and I checked on Saturday, they were still in the nest, cawing away, and just a bit bigger. She counted four baby robins.
Do you know of a bird with speckled breast?
For a fun review, here are thumbs of my posts on robins:
The upper left shows a blue robin egg. Then the robin babies are born, and they depend on mama and papa robin. After a while, the baby robins get more feathers and fly off from the nest. A young robin is a bird with speckled breast. The mature robin has a red breast. I’ve seen robins with worms in their mouths. I’ve also seen them eating my raspberries.
For more Nature Notes:
Daniel Saunders says
Interesting that American robins seem to look quite different to the robins we get in London - the American ones seem taller and thinner, with grey wings and black heads instead of browney ones.
leoraw says
Nice observation, Daniel.
Robin from Israel says
He's got freckles :).
leoraw says
I suppose if one compares him to an adolescent human, maybe it's like teen acne. But freckles sounds much healthier.
Jewaicious says
What lovely photos. I am reminiscing of photos I have taken of robins, and I must go through my DVDs and get my bird photos together.
leoraw says
That's what I like about blogging - I use my blog to figure out when we did what.
EG Wow says
Robins are a kind of thrush so it makes sense to me that a baby robin might have a speckled breast. Hmmm. They eat my raspberries too!
leoraw says
Cool. I did not know that robins are a type of thrush.
The birds would peck at the strawberries, too, but I didn't see as many robins when the strawberries were in bloom last month. Seems to be the season for robins and rabbits in Highland Park.
Libby says
I did not know robins were thrushes either! I love the collage on baby robins!
I did not recognize the young robin in the first picture either ;)
leoraw says
Ha! So it's good I wrote "bird" instead of "robin" in my title - leaves a bit of mystery until you read the body of the post.
Carver says
I see Michelle already answered you about the teenager robins. That's one of the juveniles I can identify because I watch them grow up. The only confusion for me is in the trees if I don't see the beak and wings, it's easy for me to mistake juvenile robins for brown thrashers who have the same breast as juvenile robins (the speckled part) but brown thrasher have much longer beaks and their wings are brown. They are also somewhat larger (thrashers).
leoraw says
Longer beaks and larger (the thrashers) - those are good identifiers. Thanks, Carver.
Hannah says
The robins in France seem to be the same as the British ones! Nice photos.
leoraw says
I suppose crossing a channel is easier than crossing an ocean.
Eileen says
the baby robins are adorable. I love their speckled chest. Wonderful mosaic and photos, Leora. Wishing you a happy 4th of July!
Rambling Woods says
When the English first came to this country they named the american robin after their own robin as it reminded them of their own. You are getting fantastic photos..I have not seen one juve robin here so I am enjoying these photos...Michelle
Rambling Woods says
I saw your comment about milkweed..milkweed has latex that you were worried about the kids getting in their eyes...
leoraw says
Thanks for the reminder, Michelle.
leoraw says
Interesting bit of history, Michelle!
Pat says
Cute baby Robins!
Celeste says
Great photos. The American Robin looks very similar to some of the European Thrush species, check out the Song Thrush or the Mistle Thrush, I think you will see the family resemblance.
leoraw says
Celeste, thank you for that connection. I googled "Song Thrush Mistle Thrush" in Google Images - I see what you mean.
Patti says
when do juvenile robins lose their speckled breasts and replace with red breasts?
leoraw says
It seems they are juveniles for one season?, but I can't find much information about this detail. I'll have to ask one of my birding expert friends.
I did find this: "By October, young robins have lost just about all their spotted feathers."
http://www.learner.org/jnorth/tm/robin/ExpertAnswer03.html
Patti says
Thanks! It will much easier to follow them when their spotted feathers are gone if their breasts will turn red quickly! Otherwise, there are some other birds that are similar looking. We are in the mountains of Southern California with a wide variety of birds. I am so happy that all 5 baby robins have stayed in our area with the mother robin. Even after 2 weeks of them having left the nest she is still flying to them and subsidizing their feedings. She is relentless and must be exhausted!
leoraw says
Oh, we had the pleasure of baby robins hatching on our porch a few years ago. Enjoy nature's show.
Patti says
We are truly enjoying "the show." It is so awewome and amazing to the extent that we are not getting much done these days! I am in the process of finding an online supplier of earthworms from whom I can buy in bulk!
Alyce-Kay says
I'm not surprised they go after your raspberries. I throw berries or grapes or cherries out in my yard. It seems like the only thing the robins are interested in. I love to watch them pecking at a cherry that's part of a threesome. When they peck at one, the others "follow" and the robin jumps back, startled.
leoraw says
Hm, at the price of cherries, can't imagine throwing them in the yard. I rarely buy grapes, because most are inorganic here.
I'll have to settle for sharing my raspberries.
Matt Bopp says
Wife and I saved this little robin from certain death. Now he comes and sees us everyday. Wish I could send a pic but don't see how to on this site... Sorry!
leoraw says
Matt, start your own blog! Visit Blogger or WordPress.com. Nice to hear your little story.
kevin kelly says
I recently took a photo of what I thought was a Robin until I got home and saw the b&w speckles. I was curious and asked around. It turned out that I shot a photo of a juvenile Robin. Here's the link to my photo;
https://flic.kr/p/vdVAX5
Stephanie miley says
I have a robin who has adopted me as a mom and all i have is bread to feed it. I have let it go twice and it came back both times. What can I feed it to make sure it gets what it needs apparently it has found a new home
leoraw says
Stephanie, I would try someone else with your question. I do know that bread is not the best thing to feed a bird.
kevin kelly (nevikk) says
@ STEPHANIE MILEY
Bread is NOT the best thing to be feeding ANY baby birds. They will eat it only because they are hungry. Eventually, it can cause problems, health-wise. Worms, mashed up are good for them. Tiny insects, grains, seeds, anything you see the adults eating are good for the babies also, but should be mashed beforehand, and fed to the babies with an eye-dropper. just as the adults would do (except that the adults will partially digest it and then regurgitate it) and place it directly into the babies' mouths. A little water from an eyedropper, (if they are thirsty and will accept it) is good. Otherwise, there will probably be enough water (in one form or another) within the mashed worms. You can even try mixing your own formula ahead of time. If you have enough of a supply and have had it refrigerated, let it reach room temperature before feeding them. ROOM TEMPERATURE, DO NOT MICROWAVE! of mashed worms and other tiny insects. Always feed the babies with an eyedropper, placing it directly into their mouths like the mother would do. These are just some basic suggestions for future reference and would apply to most baby birds that you've rescued or have found orphaned and you are SURE that the parents are still around.
Kathy says
I saw a pair of birds that had light tan heads and bold black spotted breasts. They didn't stay long and were quite aggressive as they drove off a blue jay that was trying to bathe in the bird bath. What were they?
cary davenport says
Hello,
how long do the young robins keep their speckless?
Milan Batali says
I’m also wondering how long the speckled breast remains...no luck so far finding this information online.
Mary Wier says
A young bird Sat all morning on our recycle box. And I saw the breast was speckled. Gold and brown and some black. So beautiful. It was calling softly. Kept me up. Got worried where mom was. Not there in afternoon. Robin. Or what. Unusual feeling. Was it ok.
Howard Osterman says
Saw two robin red breasts this morn; the smaller, younger was speckled but chest was rich red, unlike any pics i’ve been finding.
Please leave a comment! I love to hear from you.