Indiana · Year-round resident

American Robins in Indiana

When American are present in Indiana, when they nest, which native Indiana plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 5b–7a yard.

Thrushes (Turdidae)American RobinTurdus migratorius

Status in Indiana: Year-round resident
Nesting window: April–July
Broods: 2–3 per season
Hardiness zones: USDA 5b–7a

When to expect American in Indiana

American Robins live in Indiana all year. Cold winters with lake-effect snow in the far north. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward holly, juniper, sumac and crabapple fruit.

Humid continental, from Lake Michigan dunes in the north to the forested hill country of the south.

Nesting in Indiana

Across Indiana, American typically nest from April–July. Nest site: mud-lined cup on a branch fork or ledge; uses open-front nest shelves. Females lay 3–5 eggs, incubate for 12–14 days, and young leave the nest after 13 days.

Warm, humid summers with frequent storms.

American Robins don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as flowering dogwood, eastern red cedar, serviceberry for nest sites.
Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after July.

Native Indiana plants that attract American

Of the regional native plants we track for Indiana, these 8 provide food or cover American use:

Flowering dogwood

Cornus florida · Tree

Fat-rich red fall fruit taken by thrushes, bluebirds and woodpeckers.

Eastern red cedar

Juniperus virginiana · Tree

Dense evergreen roost cover and bluish 'berries' eaten through winter.

Serviceberry

Amelanchier arborea · Tree

Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed.

Winterberry

Ilex verticillata · Shrub

Deciduous holly holding red fruit into mid-winter.

Staghorn sumac

Rhus typhina · Shrub

Fruit clusters persist all winter as emergency food.

Smooth sumac

Rhus glabra · Shrub

Red fruit heads hang on through winter.

White oak

Quercus alba · Tree

Acorns plus hundreds of caterpillar species for nestling food.

Bur oak

Quercus macrocarpa · Tree

Drought-hardy prairie oak with large acorns and a heavy insect load.

Feeding American through the Indiana year

Robins rarely eat seed. They come for water, lawn worms and winter fruit; many stay north all winter in flocks.

Best foods: Mealworms, Chopped apple and berries, Suet nuggets.
In Indiana's winter: Cold winters with lake-effect snow in the far north.

Full diet breakdown for American · Best feeder for American

Frequently asked

Are American in Indiana year-round?

Yes. American Robins are year-round residents in Indiana.

When do American nest in Indiana?

Nesting in Indiana typically runs April–July, with 2–3 per season. Clutches are 3–5 eggs, incubated for 12–14 days.

What native plants attract American in Indiana?

Flowering dogwood, Eastern red cedar, Serviceberry, Winterberry, Staghorn sumac, Smooth sumac, White oak, Bur oak are native plants in Indiana that provide food or cover for American.

Other backyard birds in Indiana

Northern Cardinal Eastern Bluebird Black-capped Chickadee Carolina Chickadee Purple Martin Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker American Goldfinch Tufted Titmouse White-breasted Nuthatch House Wren Blue Jay House Finch Purple Finch Ruby-throated Hummingbird Carolina Wren Mourning Dove Dark-eyed Junco White-throated Sparrow Song Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Red-bellied Woodpecker Northern Flicker Pileated Woodpecker Red-headed Woodpecker Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown Creeper Common Grackle Red-winged Blackbird Baltimore Oriole Orchard Oriole Rose-breasted Grosbeak Pine Siskin Indigo Bunting Eastern Towhee Gray Catbird Northern Mockingbird Brown Thrasher Cedar Waxwing Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Eastern Phoebe Chimney Swift Yellow-rumped Warbler Eastern Screech-Owl Wood Thrush Great Crested Flycatcher Eastern Kingbird American Tree Sparrow House Sparrow European Starling White-crowned Sparrow Fox Sparrow Eurasian Collared-Dove

Sources

Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.