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Vermont · Year-round resident

American Robins in Vermont

When American are present in Vermont, when they nest, which native Vermont plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 3b–5b yard.

Thrushes (Turdidae)American RobinTurdus migratorius
Status in Vermont
Year-round resident
Nesting window
May–July
Broods
2–3 per season
Hardiness zones
USDA 3b–5b

When to expect American in Vermont

American Robins live in Vermont all year. Long, snowy winters. 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, with the Green Mountains and the Champlain Valley.

Nesting in Vermont

Across Vermont, American typically nest from May–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.

Short, mild summers.

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

Native Vermont plants that attract American

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

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.

Black cherry
Prunus serotina · Tree

Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees.

Feeding American through the Vermont 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 Vermont's winter: Long, snowy winters.

Full diet breakdown for American · Best feeder for American

Frequently asked

Are American in Vermont year-round?

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

When do American nest in Vermont?

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

What native plants attract American in Vermont?

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

American Robins in other regions

AlabamaAlaskaAlbertaArizonaArkansasBritish ColumbiaCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineManitobaMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew BrunswickNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNewfoundland and LabradorNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaNorthwest TerritoriesNova ScotiaNunavutOhioOklahomaOntarioOregonPennsylvaniaPrince Edward IslandQuebecRhode IslandSaskatchewanSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyomingYukon

Other backyard birds in Vermont

Northern CardinalEastern BluebirdBlack-capped ChickadeePurple MartinDowny WoodpeckerHairy WoodpeckerAmerican GoldfinchTufted TitmouseWhite-breasted NuthatchHouse WrenBlue JayHouse FinchPurple FinchRuby-throated HummingbirdMourning DoveDark-eyed JuncoWhite-throated SparrowSong SparrowChipping SparrowNorthern FlickerPileated WoodpeckerYellow-bellied SapsuckerRed-breasted NuthatchBrown CreeperCommon GrackleRed-winged BlackbirdBaltimore OrioleRose-breasted GrosbeakEvening GrosbeakPine SiskinCommon RedpollIndigo BuntingEastern TowheeGray CatbirdBrown ThrasherCedar WaxwingTree SwallowBarn SwallowEastern PhoebeChimney SwiftYellow-rumped WarblerPine WarblerEastern Screech-OwlWood ThrushGreat Crested FlycatcherEastern KingbirdAmerican Tree SparrowHouse SparrowEuropean StarlingCanada Jay

Sources

  1. American Robin — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  2. American Robin life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  3. American Robin — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
  4. eBird region overview and bar charts — Vermont
  5. USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023)
  6. Audubon Native Plants Database

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.