What is the State Bird of Connecticut? (And Why?)

Connecticut is the 29th most populous state and the 3rd smallest state in the United States. There are many different habitats for birds and other wildlife, including coastal marshes, beaches and rolling mountains. Connecticut’s state animal is the sperm whale, but what is the state bird?

Connecticut chose the American robin (Turdus migratorius), also known as the red-breasted robin, as its state bird in 1943. Known for its red breast, this migratory bird actually has breast feathers that range in color from peach to maroon. Their color depends on their sex.

Connecticut’s State Bird, the American Robin

Why is the American robin the state bird of Connecticut?

While many American robins migrate during the winter, Connecticut robins seem to enjoy fall foliage as much as vacationers. Instead of living the life of a snowbird, these birds stay in the state year-round. During the harsh northern winters, they nest in pine trees in marshes. These evergreen swamp dwellers delight the residents of the state with a song throughout the year. This devotion has earned the Redbird a special place in the hearts of the state’s residents.

When did the American robin become the state bird of Connecticut?

The Connecticut General Assembly adopted the bird through legislation in 1943. It shares the American robin as the state bird with Wisconsin and Michigan.

American Robin calling from a tree

What does Connecticut’s state bird look like?

Both sexes of the American robin look alike, but the female has a reddish breast and belly. The birds have black to dark gray heads with broken eye rings. Typically, these birds have a black beak with a brown base. They have gray upper bodies and white tails. Their striped throat and a thin yellow beak give this bright, cheerful bird a festive look. Their winter plumage is much paler than their summer plumage. Young birds of this bird have spotted whiter breasts.

The average American robin is 8.5 inches long from head to tail, but can grow up to 11 inches long. Its wingspan ranges from 12 to 16 inches. These little birds weigh very little — only 2.3 ounces to 3 ounces.

Close-up of American Robin

How are these birds behaving?

Cheerful and energetic, the American robin sings alone and often haunts the lawns of residential areas for food. You may wake up to the robin song as they sing in the early morning.

When they travel, American robins will be part of large flocks, as long as it is not during the breeding season. They frequent North and Central America. They love to travel and usually go to Florida for the winter. The Gulf Coast and central Mexico also prove to be winter habitats for this bird. Some fly to the Pacific coast.

Although they may live as far north as Canada or Alaska during the spring and summer, they prefer to mate and breed in warmer weather. They breed from April to July each year. They lose a bit of their cheerful nature when breeding, as they fiercely defend their territory.

The bird is monogamous, which means that two birds choose each other and pair up to breed each year. Their union lasts throughout the breeding season. In the following seasons, each will find a new partner to mate with. The mother usually lays three to five eggs per clutch. During the breeding season, robin couples may have two or three broods per year.

Hatching takes 14 days. When the eggs hatch, the babies have no feathers and no vision. Over the next two weeks, they grow their feathers and regain their sight while their parents tend to them. About two weeks after hatching, the chicks can leave the nest to venture into the outside world, but their parents continue to care for them for another two weeks. During this time, they can only fly short distances, so their parents will take care of them while they learn to spread their wings and fly. Once proficient in flying, they take off on their own.

American Robin perched on a wooden fence

Do American robins form communities?

American robins form temporary communities. Every year they migrate south for the winter, and many robins gather together to form a flock. They fly long distances together to maximize safety. A lot of travel reduces the risk of predator attack. They socialize less during the summer.

Once they reach their destination, they split into smaller groups. Each bird builds its own nest. This nest keeps them warm in winter. When they return to their permanent home in warmer weather, they also nest there. The nest is between 4.9 feet and 14.8 feet above the ground. They usually keep it in a fork between two branches or in a dense bush.

Their nest structures are a mix of many hardy materials. They wove the materials together to form a foundation, then smeared the interior floor with mud and topped it with soft grass, essentially providing themselves with a huge pile of rugs. The foundation of the nest usually consists of twigs, feathers, rough grass and paper. In addition to the soft grass, you might see a robin with a piece of cloth in its beak or a small ball of bunting flying on its pillow. They scour their territories for soft items inside their nests. The mother prioritizes this because she will sit on the eggs for two weeks straight while they hatch.

American Robin eats juniper berries in winter

What Do American Robins Eat?

Typically, these birds eat an omnivorous diet. They thrive on winter berries during Connecticut winters. The rest of the year they feed on small invertebrates, and their favorite foods include worms, grubs, grasshoppers, fruit, and berries. What they eat does vary by location, so robins living in other states eat different meals.

For many in Connecticut, seeing robins peck the ground and catching worm signals comes in the spring. That’s because the bird managed to drag a worm up from the ground, which means it’s thawed. You’ll know winter is over when the robins leave the swamp and return to the country yard.

To learn more about what the American robin eats, check out this article.