american robins are usually seen as cheerful, familiar birds — symbols of spring and renewal. but what happens when their behavior starts to feel... off?

while walking through a cemetery in wake county, north carolina, i noticed something unusual: robins. a lot of them. and they weren’t behaving the way you’d expect. they chirped relentlessly in the dark hours before dawn. they moved in eerie ways. and strangely, i couldn’t spot any other species nearby — just these birds. only robins.

in folklore, robins have always carried deeper meaning. some native american traditions saw them as bringers of spring, while celtic lore described them as messengers from the dead. when you see a robin alone, tired-looking, staring from a window or darting just out of reach — it’s hard not to wonder.

is this just nature, out of sync with itself? or something else entirely?

in the first episode of seralia stories, i explore these unsettling bird patterns, the history behind how robins got their name, and a curious nearby transformer that may be emitting more than just power. the video blends natural history, urban folklore, and eerie late-night encounters to raise one simple question:

why are robins chirping like zombies at 4am?


also viewable on tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8MxAoau