Amazing Robins Defense Mechanism

by Kimberly Johnson
(Hermiston, Oregon )

We arrived home around dusk a few days back and noticed our two cats circling around something in the yard.

When we walked up to the cats we noticed it was (again) a bird. It seemed to be WHOLE, however, it was not moving. I tried to lift it, but it was STUCK.

Upon closer observation I could see that he had his claws AND beak gripped TIGHTLY to the grass. This was the most amazing thing I have ever seen or heard of! I told my daughter to run and get a towel.

Before I picked him up I carefully examined him for injuries while he was still. Besides having MANY small feathers and a few tail feathers pulled out by the cats he seemed alright.

I carefully pried him free of the grass and placed him in the towel and then in a box for the night.

I felt it better to let him remain in the box overnight in order to allow him time to rest after such a trauma.

In the morning we will determine whether or not he can fly. The next morning we took him out and realized that he could not get enough lift to make it to the trees without his tail feathers.

We now have him in a cage in a quiet room far away from any cats. He is doing amazingly well. We feed him earth worms that the kids dig up as well as meal worms from the pet store and he is drinking from the water cup.

I am a bird watcher, I feed them in my yard year round, however, I also have a love for cats and have tried very hard to figure out how to combine those two loves!

I have even cut the cats claws short hoping to avoid another capture. This Robin is one amazing bird and deserves another chance at life.

I have never before read of such a defense used by a bird. I have tried to save many a baby bird and unfortunate cat victims, but have only had one survive.

We are praying for the survival of this one VERY SMART American Robin!!