American robin

American robin with an orange breast perched on a mossy, lichen-covered branch among green leaves

This is a favourite frame of an American robin, perched on a lichen-covered branch.

Orange breast glowing against a mossy, lichen-covered branch, the American robin is one of the most familiar songbirds across Manitoba. Often the first songbird to return after winter, robins arrive in Manitoba while snow still lingers and sing from rooftops and treetops at dawn. Their cheerful, rolling song is one of the surest signs that the season has turned.

Robins are best known as a sign of spring, hopping across lawns and tilting their heads to listen for earthworms. They also eat insects and, in fall and winter, berries and fruit. Adults have a dark grey back, a brick-orange breast, and a yellow bill, and their cup-shaped nests of mud and grass are often tucked into trees and the ledges of buildings. Pale blue eggs, one of the most recognizable colours in nature, are laid in a tidy nest that both parents help defend.

To find out more about the American robin and the places it lives, visit All About Birds.

Field notes in photographs

  • American robin with an orange breast perched on a mossy, lichen-covered branch among green leaves
  • American robin photographed in Manitoba, 2
  • American robin photographed in Manitoba, 3
  • American robin photographed in Manitoba, 4
  • American robin photographed in Manitoba, 5
  • American robin photographed in Manitoba, 6
  • American robin on a branch in spring
  • American robin splashing in a stone birdbath
  • Juvenile American robin with a spotted breast standing on gravel, Manitoba
  • Juvenile American robin with a spotted breast standing on gravel, Manitoba

American robin Manitoba sightings

Where and when you can find the american robin in Manitoba depends on the season and the habitat. You can see more species in the Manitoba birds section.

Map of Manitoba showing where the american robin nests, with major cities and lakes
Where to look for the american robin in Manitoba through the seasons: nesting in the Boreal Shield, the Taiga Shield, the Hudson Plains, the Southern Arctic, the Boreal Plains, and the Prairies (gold). Habitat regions: National Ecological Framework for Canada. Boundaries: Statistics Canada. Lakes: Natural Earth.

Back to Manitoba bird photography, or see the portfolio.

Follow new photos

New work is shared on Facebook and Bluesky first.

Follow on FacebookFollow on Bluesky