Most adults stop singing as they are no longer defending their territories or in search of a mate. Instead, they are busy rearing their young and teaching them how to find their own food before they fly south for the winter.
When chicks from the first broods of many birds have left the nest, the adults no longer need to defend their territory so vocally. People notice this rather sudden end to the dawn chorus and often think that something has happened to the birds.
Many male Robins will defend a territory throughout the year so this 'Autumn song' is simply a continuation of territorial proclamation but combined with a still early September morning it seems to carry a pleasant sadness perfectly in tune with the passing of summer and the ending of another season.
The autumn song starts after the moult, from late summer onwards. It is more subdued and melancholy in its tone, while the spring song is powerful, confident and upbeat. The spring song can start as early as mid-December, reaching full force in spring.
Other triggers. There are other triggers, besides light, that can bring about night-time song in robins and some other birds. If a bird is suddenly awakened by a sudden noise like thunder, fireworks, earthquake, wartime bombing etc, even a sudden shaking of its roosting tree, it may burst into song.
Circling back to the robins, they are most likely being triggered by your street or porch light, according to RSBP, a British wildlife organization. In fact, RSBP says, robins are so sensitive to light and such earlier risers that even a tiny bit of light is enough to wake them up and start the chirping.
Part of the reason links back to their confrontational tendencies, Robins keen to protect the occupation of their hard-won territories. Their song may sound wonderfully mellow to us, but it is essentially a 'war cry,' warning other Robins to stay well clear.
Birds have no sweat glands, so the primary way of dissipating excessive heat is by panting, just like a dog. If you see a bird during the hottest part of the day, it will likely have its mouth open. You may or not see that their throat is moving up and down, ridding heat from their body through the open bill.
Robins from the eastern U.S. and Canada sing for about 120 days during the breeding season. Laura made the assumption that about half of those days are heavy singing days.
These are only a couple of behaviors that birds use. When it's hot, some species will also resort to gular fluttering. The bird will open its mouth and “flutter” its neck muscles, promoting heat loss (think of it as the avian version of panting).
Robins begin breeding when they're about one year old and usually live for two years, though one wild robin was recorded to be 14 years old. The American robin's population is large and appears to be increasing. The bird has an extremely big range and has been successful at adapting to human alterations of its habitat.
Why Is A Robin Following Me? Robins are opportunistic feeders and often follow larger animals hoping to find food. These cute little birds hover around in the hopes that a large mammal will disturb the soil and reveal a few tasty grubs and insects for them to feast on.
It's a string of 10 or so clear whistles assembled from a few often-repeated syllables, and often described as cheerily, cheer up, cheer up, cheerily, cheer up.
It is a sign that they are frightened, stressed, or feel unsafe. Bird behavior is very instinctive. Chirping quietly is a way to alert others in the flock to potential danger without alerting predators to their presence.
There are a few signs that a parrot may exhibit if they are scared of you. They may fluff up their feathers, crouch down, or try to hide. They may also make hissing or growling noises or try to bite if you get too close. Additionally, they may avoid eye contact or turn their head away from you.
“When birds don't feel well they get quiet because they're weaker and they don't want to vocalize,” says Larry Nemetz, DVM, an exotics-only veterinarian in Santa Ana, California. “Any sounds they make is low-toned, not high-pitched, and they don't put any effort into their vocalizations.
A 'ROUND' of Robins.
Newly hatched robins are called hatchlings! ©iStock.com/markhonosvitaly. Did you know that a baby robin is called a hatchling? It's true! These tiny birds hatch from eggs, which is where they get their nicknames.
On cool spring mornings and chilly days, robins puff out their feathers – called rousing – to stay warm. It fluffs air into the bird's down feathers, giving some insulation to help the robin maintain its body temperature.
When robins tilt their heads, they're actually using one eye to look for worms in their underground tunnels—and the other eye is focused above, so the robin can spot predators, too! Go outside and observe robins in your backyard.
According to Gill (2006), “Birds typically close their eyes when they sleep, but just one eye at a time for unihemispheric sleep.
Very high-pitched "seeeeeee." Context and Meaning: Given by males and females. This is a high-grade alarm call, usually given when a hawk is flying overhead.
Robins sleep at night in a variety of locations, including trees, bushes, and human-made structures such as eaves and roofs. They typically roost in flocks to conserve energy and stay warm, and will move around depending on the weather and other environmental factors.
Chirping
This is a generally happy sound to reassure other birds in its immediate flock, though if there is a raspy quality to the chirps, the bird may be getting stressed or upset.