First off, let me say that when one is writing a story based on real life, it is a good idea to do one’s research before completing the storyline.
Yes, I hate to admit it, but I made a big mistake there. I assumed I knew the behavior and habits of robins and decided to write my book first, and check my facts later. Not a good idea!
Let’s just say that when I finally decided to do my research, I found that I had made one minor error. And when one makes even a minor error, it usually calls for major revisions.
Let me share my minor error and major discovery with you, because I actually learned something very interesting about robins when I did my research.
Did you know that robins do NOT gorge themselves all fall and then make one long flight south for the winter? They don’t! In fact, they don’t “fly south for the sake of flying south” at all. They do move southward in wintertime, but not for the same reason. You see, robins can actually handle very cold temperatures and harsh weather, so long as they have a good food supply. So, if you’ve ever seen robins sticking around in your area over the winter, they’re probably there because they found some source of food, and they will stay as long as that food lasts. If a snow storm blows in and covers their supply of dried berries, then they’ll move a ways south where it’s warmer and they can find another source of food.
I was correct in assuming that robins flock together in the winter, though.
Here is an interesting site where you can find a lot of information on the habits of robins.
So, needless to say, my story requires some major revisions due to my minor error. Next time I’ll be sure to do my research carefully ahead of time!
Sarah E. Brown 