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The American robin is the most abundant bird in North America. It is estimated that over 370 million American robins live between Canada and Mexico. These cuddly songbirds belong to the Turdidae family of thrush and are commonly found in backyards, parks, and urban areas. Meanwhile, across the Atlantic Ocean, the European robin dominates much of Europe and Eurasia. Although they both bear the name of the robin and appear to be similar, the two are not closely related. Unlike the American robin, the European robin belongs to the Muscicapidae or flycatcher family. Despite this difference, they are both known by the name Robin. In truth, nearly 120 different species include the word “robin” in their name. Many of these birds belong to different families with little in common. At the same time, there are many birds that look like robins but are not called robins.
If this sounds confusing, don’t worry. As long as you pay attention to the full names of these birds, it will not be difficult for you to distinguish them from each other. However, if you come across a robin-like bird in your backyard, how can you know for sure? To help you, we have compiled a list of 5 birds that look like robins but are not actually robins. So next time you come across one of these birds singing outside your window, just remember this list. After all, you wouldn’t want to accidentally call the bird a robin, would you?
# 5: red-throated nuthatch
The red-throated nuthatch is a small songbird commonly found throughout North America. It is a member of the nuthatch family, or Sittidae. It gets its name from its characteristic pale red breast and the habit of hammering nuts into cracks to break them. They often live in coniferous forests in colder climates, but migrate south to occasional warmer locations as the seasons change. Red-throated nuthatches, known as acrobatic species, jump through trees in search of food. You can see them walking upside down on branches while hunting for seeds or insects. Sometimes they catch flying insects right in the air, especially in summer. In winter, you are more likely to see them frequent bird feeders or feed on seeds.
It is easy for an outside observer to mistake the red-breasted nuthatch for an American robin. Both species have red feathers on the chest, white and black markings on the face, and grayish feathers on the back. However, if you look closely, it’s pretty easy to tell them apart. First, robins are larger than nuthatches. The average red-breasted nuthatch is about 4.5 inches long and has a wingspan of 8.5 inches. Meanwhile, American robins are usually 9 to 11 inches long with a wingspan of 12 to 16 inches. In addition, the feathers on the robin’s chest appear much darker and redder than those of the nuthatch. In addition, the robin’s face is mostly black with white circles around the eyes, while the nuthatch’s face is striped, black and white. Finally, gray nuthatch feathers have a bluish tint, while robin feathers are not.
# 4: Spotted Taui
The spotted buffet, formerly known as the redhead, belongs to the New World sparrow family, or Passerellidae. Once considered part of the same species as the eastern bukhi, scientists now recognize it as a separate species. Spotted bouquets are found in the western United States, southern Canada, and parts of Mexico. Spotted tugs, commonly found in open forests and scrub thickets, nest on or near the ground. In the spring and summer, their diet consists of high protein foods such as beetles, spiders, and other insects. In the winter, they switch to harvesting affordable foods such as acorns, berries, and seeds.
At first glance, the spotted tug and the American robin are very similar. The middle spotted tug is 6.7 to 8.3 inches long and has a wingspan of 11 inches. These dimensions are only slightly behind robins, although robins will weigh about twice as much as spotted tugs. While both birds have a dark gray or black head, the spotted tugs do not have the white markings on the face that robins have. In addition, while robins have a deep reddish-orange breast, spotted tugs have white breasts with reddish-brown flanks. However, if you want to tell the difference between the two, just look at their eyes or legs. Spotted tugs have distinctive red eyes and pink legs. Meanwhile, American robins have black eyes and brown legs.
# 3: Varied Thrush
Like the American robin, the diverse thrush belongs to the Turdidae family. However, he belongs to a different genus, Ixoreus, of which he is the only member. Scientists currently recognize four subspecies, each of which lives in the western United States, Canada and Alaska. In the summer they breed in the northern regions and then fly south for the winter. However, some populations living off the coast of the Pacific Northwest do not migrate at all. They usually live in dense coniferous forests and build nests in trees. In the summer they eat mostly insects, and in the winter they mostly eat fruits, acorns and seeds. Among their favorite berries are blueberries, honeysuckle, timberberry and snow berry.
Like other robin-like birds, the various blackbirds are nearly the same size as the American robin. They typically reach 7.9 to 10.2 inches in length with a wingspan of 13 to 17 inches in length. However, the various blackbirds are not as tall and usually appear stockier than robins. In addition, various blackbirds have bright orange feathers visible on their breasts, in contrast to the more reddish-orange breasts of robins. They also often have orange markings on the back and wings, while robin wings contain only slightly black and white markings. Finally, various blackbirds have a white stripe above each eye, which robins do not have at all.
# 2: black-headed deafbeak
The black-headed coffin belongs to the family Cardinalidae, which also includes the northern cardinal. In summer, its range extends from southern British Columbia to the central and western United States to central Mexico. In winter, most black-headed oakbeaks, which are not yet in Mexico, migrate there and remain until spring. They prefer to live in forested areas with large trees and shrubs, although they also live in wetlands and urban areas. Although they occasionally build their nests in bushes, they usually build their nests in trees high above the ground. Unlike most songbirds, the male and female of the black-headed coffin take turns incubating their eggs. Their diet consists mainly of insects in the summer and seeds, berries and fruits in the winter. In addition, it is one of the few birds that can eat the poisonous monarch butterfly without any side effects.
Most people will probably find it difficult to distinguish the vocalizations of the black-headed coffin beak from the American robin. However, listen carefully and you will notice that the deafbeak sings faster and more tenderly than the robin. In addition, their song is more textured than the robin’s song and generally lasts much longer. Compared to the American robin, the black-headed coffin beak is significantly shorter and weighs less. On average, they reach 7.1 to 7.5 inches in length and weigh between 1.2 and 1.7 ounces. Another difference concerns the color and shape of the beaks. The black-headed deaf beak has a large gray beak, while the American robin has a thin yellow beak. Finally, while the belly of the robin is white, the belly of the black-headed grossbeak is yellow.
# 1: common redstart
The common redstart, or simply the redstart, belongs to the same Old World flycatcher family as the robin. Currently, scientists recognize 16 species of redstart, and the common redstart is considered a “real redstart.” There are two subspecies of the common redstart. One lives mainly in Europe and Russia, while the other extends from the Crimean Peninsula to Central Asia. In winter, both subspecies migrate to sub-Saharan Africa and parts of southern Saudi Arabia. They live mainly in open forests and build their nests in tree hollows. Their diet consists mainly of winged insects, which they can catch in the air, like most species of flycatchers.
Of all the robin-like birds, the common redstart may have the greatest resemblance. In particular, it is very similar to the European robin, but at the same time has a number of similarities with the American robin. Like the American robin, it has a reddish-orange chest, gray head and back, and a black face. However, there are several key differences. First, the common redstart has a black beak and legs, in contrast to the yellow beak and brown legs of the American robin. Second, it is significantly smaller: only 5.1 to 5.7 inches long and less than half the weight of a robin. Finally, while the tail of the robin is mostly gray or black, there are reddish markings on the tail of the common redstart.
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