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Got a question for Ask MDC? Send it to AskMDC@mdc.mo.gov or call 573-522-4115, ext. 3848.

Q: Is there a reason we are seeing a lot of robins right now? I thought they flew south for the winter. 

It’s common to see large winter foraging flocks of American robins, with other species mixed in as well, on the landscape in Missouri this time of year.

In the winter or non-breeding season in Missouri, robins and other species of birds — like European starlings or common grackles — are more gregarious than during the summer breeding season. They will group together in large foraging flocks in search of food, often berries. These flocks can number in the hundreds. 

Robins also form communal roosts, which can be even larger — thousands, sometimes hundreds of thousands, of birds. Favored roosting sites might be stands of eastern red cedars and vine-tangled woodlands that offer respite from wind and precipitation. These roosts can shift depending on weather patterns and when nearby resources (berries) are depleted. In spring, robins and other species will migrate north to their breeding grounds in the U.S. or Canada and disperse into smaller flocks or nesting pairs. Likely, a large roost exists near where you live.

Q: What mammal is this?

This is a long-tailed weasel, which is a species of conservation concern in Missouri. 

The long-tailed weasel is a slender, long-bodied mammal with short legs and well-furred tail about half the length of the head and body. The head is small, flattened, and only slightly larger in diameter than the long neck. The ears are short and rounded, the whiskers prominent, and the small eyes beady. In summer, adults are usually dark brown above and yellowish white below with a white chin and black tail tip. In winter, the coat is paler, but sometimes in northern Missouri they have an all-white coat except for the black-tipped tail. 

Q: I found this nest in brush about 3 feet off the ground and well protected by blackberry brambles. It’s approximately 3 inches wide and 4 inches tall. The top is woven with fine strands of grass, and the bottom is composed of larger strands. Who made this nest?

This looks like an indigo bunting nest. These birds place their nests in shrubs about 1 to 3 feet from the ground, so this presentation is typical. They make cup nests made of fine grasses with thicker grass at the base.

A common bird in Missouri, indigo buntings perch in brushy fields, forest openings, woodland edges, yards, parks, and hedgerows. They are frequently seen flying up from gravel roads.

This is one of the most abundant and easily seen and heard birds in the state. To see them in the wild, find trees in a park, a clearing in the woods, or visit Katy Trail State Park on foot or bike. You’ll notice them as they fly up from the ground or sit on a fence. In late spring, this species visits bird feeders..