GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. - A lot of Sunrisers have been asking why they're seeing so many robins during the winter months.
It's a question that comes up every year.
They're wondering what robins are doing here long after fall migration. How they can possibly survive our winters?
Well first, they don't follow the typical north-to-south and back migration pattern we see with other birds.
Instead, they follow the food.
Robins that remain change their diets in winter from worms and insects to fruit and berries.
Finding water is no problem because they can survive by eating snow.
Being social also helps. Robins gather in large flocks. All those eyes and ears are good for watching out for predators. And the beauty of the flock is that if one of them finds some food, they can all feast.
The cold temperatures aren't a big deal to most Robins. Their body temp under those thick down feathers is about 104-degrees.
But what about their feet? Even standing in snow, they don't get cold. Their circulation is so fast that the blood doesn't have time to chill.
Oh, and the big bonus if for those who remain near their mating grounds. They get first dibs on the best nesting territories when spring arrives.
So don't doubt your eyes if you suddenly encounter a flock of big, orange-chested birds. It's still winter here in Minnesota!
