American Robin vs Eastern Bluebird
The check that settles it
Much smaller, bright blue above, and it perches to hunt rather than running on the ground.
American Robin
Turdus migratorius
- Size
- 23–28 cm
- Bill
- thin pointed
- Where
- yard, woodland, open field
- Voice
- A rich caroling phrase often written 'cheerily, cheer up, cheer up'. Among the first birds singing before dawn.
Eastern Bluebird
Sialia sialis
- Size
- 16–21 cm
- Bill
- thin pointed
- Where
- open field, yard
- Voice
- A soft musical 'chur-lee, chur-lee'.
Confirming a american robin
- Brick-orange breast and belly against a dark grey back.
- Yellow bill — the fastest check against anything else orange-breasted.
- Broken white eye-ring.
- Runs and stops across open lawn rather than hopping continuously.
Confirming a eastern bluebird
- Blue above with an orange throat and chest and a clean white belly.
- Perches upright on wires and posts over open grass, then drops to the ground.
- Round-headed with a short thin bill.
- Females are much duller — grey-blue with a paler orange wash.