The American Robin
The main purpose of a robin's life is to make more robins. Migration, territory, courtship, nest building, egg laying, incubation, and care of the young are all parts of the breeding cycle. These activities happen so robins can pass their genes on to new generations — and the cycle begins again. Here's the story behind those little blue eggs and the natural instincts that let mom know what to do.
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Journey North American Robin

An American Robin can produce three successful broods in one year. On average, though, only 40 percent of nests successfully produce young. Only 25 percent of those fledged young survive to November. From that point on, about half of the robins alive in any year will make it to the next. Despite the fact that a lucky robin can live to be 14 years old, the entire population turns over on average every six years.
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All About Birds: American Robin

Nesting: Robins prefer to nest in spruce or maple trees, but are very adaptable, nesting in all sorts of trees and buildings -- I've even seen one nest laid right in the middle of someone's outdoor plant pot. They usually return to the same nesting area each year and will reuse nests from previous years.
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American Robin

May 27, 2005. Day fifteen since I discovered the robin's nest under my bedroom window.

It's been fourteen days since the first egg was laid.

Today, the mama bird refuses to leave the nest for our photo session. I don't know if any eggs have hatched or not & don't want to startle her for fear that she will just abandon the nest.
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The robin's nest

American Robins perform an important role in consuming large numbers of destructive insect pests. Their taste for many kinds of fruits and berries also aids those plants in seed dispersal when seeds pass through the digestive system and are deposited in areas distant from the host plant. Robins are uncommon cowbird hosts, and doing well in most of their range. In some regions in the northeast and the west, however, population declines are being observed.
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American Robin

A quick bath
YouTube - Robin bird having a bath

Building a Nesting Box for Robins

Robins are one of the favorites among common birds in North America. They often build their mud-and-grass nests on ledges of buildings. By providing a nest shelf (figure A) you can observe robins raise a family of young in a location that will keep them safe and sheltered.

Here's how to do it:
HOBBIES : Bird Watching : Bird Watching -- Building a Robin Nesting-Shelf : DIY Network

GREAT!!! Thanks Arty! We get Robins here in Houston each spring. I saw the first one about a month ago.

My Robins never leave my yard! Even in winter we have them. I have 52 trees in my yard. Maybe thats why they love it here. Great stuff Arty!!

A few years back my son-in-law was on vacation and left his big truck parked in our driveway for two weeks. A robin built its nest in the wheel well. He had to use my vehicle until the babies hatched and fledged!

I have a very stupid question.....

Where do the Robins go in the winter? I never see any here (Buffalo) until spring time.

There's an old saying, when you see a Robin for the first time after a long cold winter "you know spring is here".
The truth is, "well this is what I have learned", the Robins are out there during the winter months, (we just don't see them as often) as many do fly south for the colder months.
Also interesting is the Morning Dove, this bird is known to migrate, however I have a mated pair here that stay here all year round.
I guess a safe statement to say is "If there's plenty of food and water, they will stay and ruff out the winter".
But then knowing the Robin is a Worm-Insect eater and knowing the ground is froze (no worms) and insects are few, away they go to the warmer places to find food.
Wrens stick around all winter being seed eaters.
The Robin will eat seed, "as a last resort".
The Wren will eat worms and Insects "as a last resort".
The avian world is full of mystery.
Keep your eye on your bird feeders, you will be surprised at how many Keets and Tiels are out there also.

In the winter robins often can be found near water or in swampy areas. They feed on tree berries in the winter. (Dogwoods are 1 that they eat.) Our local library has a lot of dogwoods & I'll see robins there in the winter.