robin

[asenathwaite]

A robin appeared.



It was cute.



And then it did this.



For a few minutes I was afraid it had died, but then it pulled itself back together and hopped away.

Comments

[seasonoftowers]

I'd guess it was anting - they do that to keep their feathers free of parasites

[cesy]

American robins are so different from European ones.

[killertofuuu]

Aww, pretty bird.

[dewline]

Didn't know that this was a thing they did.

Cool!

[peoriapeoriawhereart]

I knew about small birds taking dust baths, but anting is a new thing I've learned today!

Yes, American Robins are only like old world Robins in having a red breast. They love to walk about and sometimes 'fly' only as in hopping (they do this about humans a lot, like they know we're not a threat but can't quite tamp down the flee in time) like early Superman.

[pameladean]

That's got to be alarming if you aren't used to it -- great photos.

For some years we would get mixed flocks of robins and flickers, and the robins would all do that -- we have some large anthills in our yard -- and then the flickers would come in and eat the ants. But for some time now the flickers have not come around, or have just come in ones and twos on their own.

P.

[minoanmiss]

The other day I saw a pigeon doing that flail-in-the-dirt and I was worried for 15 seconds until I realized what it was up to.

[leecetheartist]

Then look at Australian robins - different again!