Rufous-backed thrush facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rufous-backed Robin |
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Turdus
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rufopalliatus
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The rufous-backed robin (scientific name: Turdus rufopalliatus) is a type of songbird that belongs to the thrush family. This bird is special because it only lives in one area: the Pacific side of Mexico. You might also hear it called the rufous-backed thrush.
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What Does the Rufous-backed Robin Look Like?
This robin looks a lot like its cousin, the American robin. However, it's a bit smaller. It grows to be about 8.5 to 9.5 inches (21.5 to 24 cm) long. Its wings can spread about 15.5 inches (39.4 cm) wide, and it weighs around 2.6 ounces (74 grams).
The rufous-backed robin gets its name from the reddish-brown color on its upper back. This color stands out against its grayish head, neck, and rump. Its chest and sides are also reddish-brown. The belly and the feathers under its tail are white. Its throat is white with many black streaks. Both its beak and the ring around its eye are yellow.
Female rufous-backed robins are usually a bit duller in color than the males. Young robins, like other young thrushes, have spots on their undersides. They are also browner and have light speckles on their backs.
Grayson's Robin
There's a special group of these robins that live on the Islas Tres Marías (Three Mary Islands) and near San Blas in Nayarit. Some people think these birds are a separate species called Grayson's robin or Grayson's thrush (Turdus graysoni). These birds look a bit "washed out," meaning they don't have much of the reddish-brown color.
Sounds and Calls
The song of the rufous-backed robin is slow and warbling, which means it has a gentle, flowing sound. It often repeats parts of its song, like "weedele loo loo freerlii..." When it senses danger, it makes a long, soft, whistle that goes down in pitch, sounding like "cheeoo or teeeuu." Other sounds it makes are similar to those of the American robin. Its call while flying is thinner.
Where Does This Robin Live?
The rufous-backed robin lives in dry forests where trees lose their leaves in certain seasons. You can find them at the edges of these forests and even in places where people have planted trees. They live from the ground up to high in the trees.
Their main home stretches from southeastern Sonora all the way to the southeastern part of Oaxaca. This area is along the coast and in the Río Balsas river valley. Some groups of these robins live in Mexico City and Oaxaca City. These birds probably came from pet birds that escaped from their cages.
Sometimes, a few of these robins wander into the states of the United States that border Mexico. When they do, they are often seen in forests along rivers.
How Does the Rufous-backed Robin Behave?
This robin is shyer than the American robin. In the winter, they often gather together in flocks. Their diet is like that of other thrushes: they eat fruits and small creatures without backbones, especially insects.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
The way rufous-backed robins have babies is similar to other Turdus species. Their eggs are whitish with many reddish-brown markings. The nests are usually built from plant materials mixed with mud. They are found in trees and shrubs and can hold about two or three baby birds. One of the parents usually builds the nest. Both the male and female parents take care of the baby birds and protect their nest area.
