I wouldn't classify myself as an early bird. In fact, there are some parts of me that are still adjusting to the premature change to daylight-saving time.

I cannot say the same for a different bird however. American robins (Turdus migratorius) have not only invaded our street, but the whole town as well. There are dozens of them in our yard and hundreds spread out across town. Several have taken to roosting in the juniper outside of our bedroom window.

I usually welcome this harbinger of spring. However, this year is a little different. Robins are known to be the first bird to sing in the morning and the last to sing at night. Nearly every morning as the dawn begins to break, an overly anxious male begins his serenade. I am a light sleeper, but not nearly as much as my wife. If the robin's singing doesn't wake me, my wife's rustling soon does.

American robins are perhaps the best-known birds in North America. They are approximately 10 inches long and have gray upperparts and head with a reddish-orange breast. During the breeding season, adult males grow distinctive black feathers on their heads. There are seven sub-species of the American robin that all look very similar.

The American robin, originally a forest species, has adapted well to human changes in the landscape. As trees have been planted, robins have expanded. Robins are quite common in residential areas, gardens and city parks. They have invaded the prairies and they are often found in alpine forests and meadows above the treeline. In fact, there is scarcely a habitat that you won't find robins.

Robins breed throughout Canada and the United States. They occasionally overwinter in the northern part of the United States and southern Canada. Robins tend to gather in roosting communities during nonbreeding seasons. Robin roosts can include as many as 250,000 birds, but they usually contain from 20 to 200 birds. Last elk season, I was quite surprised to find a large flock of robins apparently settling in for the winter in a small valley in the Missouri River breaks. Robins are also frequently reported in Christmas bird counts across the state. Most robins however winter in the southern parts United States and northern Mexico.

In the spring, robins usually begin their northward migration in late February. The temperature rise in spring is a key factor in their migration. The northward migrants follow closely behind when the average daytime temperature reaches about 37 degrees Fahrenheit. Robins generally return to the same breeding area as the previous year.

In the fall, robins do not follow a set route. Instead of always returning to the same area, they seem to meander southward in response to the seasonal availability of food. They begin to migrate south in early September, but most wait until October. Robins seen in early December may still be migrants. The birds usually migrate in small flocks, but may sometimes travel in groups of several hundred.

Males typically are the first to arrive at a breeding territory. The females arrive the following week or so. Pair bonds are formed on the breeding grounds with the pair generally remaining together for the entire breeding season. They will often pair with other individuals the following year.

The female chooses the nest site and builds the nest. The male may visit the nest site and occasionally brings nesting material to his mate. Robins prefer to nest above the ground, most often in trees. Nonetheless, they readily nest in manmade structures. They are known to reuse nests from the previous year or build a new nest on top of an old one.

The female lays the first clutch of approximately four eggs in late April or early May. The eggs are a familiar blue. Crayola even named a crayon color after the color of the eggs.

The female incubates the clutch for an average of 12 days. The young fledge in about two weeks. Robins typically raise two broods in a single season. The female begins a new clutch shortly after the first brood leaves the nest. After fledging, the young may remain nearby for several weeks before becoming independent. During this time, the male may feed them while his mate is incubating the next clutch.

Almost everyone has seen robins on lawns pulling up worms. In fact, the running and stopping behavior is a distinguishing characteristic. When they stop, it is thought that they are listening for the movement of prey.

Invertebrates like worms and insects only make up about 40 percent of a robin's diet in the spring and early summer. The robin is primarily a carpophore, or fruit-eating species. Practically any gardener can tell you what robins can do to unprotected strawberries.

I suspect the robins in our neighborhood are feeding heavily upon the crab apples and juniper berries waiting for the temperatures to increase so they can continue their migration. I do enjoy seeing them around town. I just wish they would find a better place to roost than next to our bedroom window while they wait. I suppose there could be worse things to wake up to.