Thrushes (Turdidae)

American Robin (Turdus migratorius) - HBW 10, p. 660

French: Merle d’Amérique German: Wanderdrossel Spanish: Zorzal Robín
Other common names: San Lucas Robin (confinis)

Taxonomy: (Turdus) migratorius Linn aeus, 1766, “in America septentrionali” = North America.
Has in the past been thought to form a superspecies with T. rufitorques on account of behavioural and vocal similarities, but plumages rather different. Highly distinctive race confinis has been treated as a separate species. Geographical variation in rest of range rather clinal. Proposed race aleucus (from Texas) considered indistinguishable from propinquus. Seven subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution:

migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 - Alaska (except SE) and Canada (except SW & E) S to C & NE USA (SW Kansas, Pennsylvania, New Jersey); non-breeding E USA and E Mexico.
caurinus (Grinnell, 1909) - SE Alaska and coastal W Canada; non-breeding S to SW USA (to CW California).
propinquus Ridgway, 1877 - SW Canada (SE British Columbia E to SW Saskatchewan) and W USA (Montana to California) S to C Mexico (S to Jalisco, Oaxaca and Veracruz); non-breeding S to Guatemala.

See all 7 subspecies

migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 - Alaska (except SE) and Canada (except SW & E) S to C & NE USA (SW Kansas, Pennsylvania, New Jersey); non-breeding E USA and E Mexico.
caurinus (Grinnell, 1909) - SE Alaska and coastal W Canada; non-breeding S to SW USA (to CW California).
propinquus Ridgway, 1877 - SW Canada (SE British Columbia E to SW Saskatchewan) and W USA (Montana to California) S to C Mexico (S to Jalisco, Oaxaca and Veracruz); non-breeding S to Guatemala.
nigrideus Aldrich & Nutt, 1939 - E Canada (Labrador, Newfoundland); non-breeding E USA.
achrusterus (Batchelder, 1900) - SE USA (Oklahoma E to Virginia, S to Texas and Florida); non-breeding S to SE Mexico.
confinis S. F. Baird, 1864 - W Mexico (Sierra Victoria, in S Baja California).
phillipsi Bangs, 1915 - highlands of SW Mexico (Jalisco, Guanajuato, S Hidalgo S to S Oaxaca).