There are scores of birds all over the world which have robin of their identify – Australia has no fewer than 18 – however the unique Robin, Erithacus rubella, isn’t associated to any of them. It’s in a genus all of its personal. The identify is a diminutive of Robert, and was as soon as generally used as an affectionate nickname for individuals known as Robert. Right here within the UK it’s the identify we use for what’s certainly one of our most acquainted birds, however curiously it’s not one with a protracted historical past, because the Robin was previously often called the Redbreast. Look in any of the previous hen e-book and you discover no point out of Robin. The British Ornithologists’ Union formally accepted Robin as an alternative choice to Redbreast as not too long ago as 1952.
Right this moment you by no means hear anybody use the identify Redbreast, although that is, after all, the Robin’s most blatant characteristic. I’m stunned that we now have been allowed to maintain the identify Robin, and it hasn’t been renamed the Purple-chested Backyard Chat, or one thing related. It is likely one of the few birds that the majority British individuals can each recognise and identify, whereas it has lengthy had an in depth affiliation with Christmas.
Why it ought to be so carefully related to Christmas is a little bit of a thriller. The primary British postmen wore purple coats, and in consequence got the nickname of robin or redbreast, so that is the obvious connection. There isn’t a point out of the species within the Bible, whereas Robins don’t happen within the Holy Land, however they did seem on Victorian Christmas playing cards, representing the postman. Right this moment they nonetheless characteristic on many playing cards, normally perched in snow.
A typical Christmas-card scene: snow, Robins, and a purple submit field. The artist, Pip Wilson, has managed to slide a cock Pheasant into the wintry panorama
It’s not possible for us people to inform the sexes aside visually, although happily the birds themselves appear to have no issues. Younger Robins are spotty and don’t have purple breasts, however they purchase the purple feathers after their first moult, which might be as much as two months after leaving the nest. Every Robin has a singular breast sample, and may (with problem) be recognised individually
Female and male Robins maintain their very own territories within the winter, and each sexes sing an analogous winter track. They defend their territories fiercely from different Robins, typically combating to the dying. They not occasionally sing at evening, normally underneath synthetic lights, and this has usually led to them being mistaken for Nightingales. The so-called winter track might be heard as early as July, and is normally described as sounding quite unhappy, suppressed and even introverted. On the finish of the yr the cocks begin performing their full-blooded spring track, a certain signal of the altering season.
They’re short-lived: the file for longevity is held by a ringed hen that survived till it was over eight. Ringing recoveries of British-ringed birds have proven that probably the most frequent reason for dying is being killed by a cat. They’ve been protected in Britain for a few years, however are nonetheless caught and eaten in some European nations, together with Italy. On the finish of the Victorian period they had been trapped in Britain in order that their skins may adorn women’ hats, however that trend ultimately handed.
Because of ringing we all know that British Robins seldom transfer removed from the place they hatched, however the birds that breed within the forests of Scandinavia migrate to the Mediterranean for the winter. A few of these birds will cross by japanese Britain on their means south, nevertheless it’s thought that few stay right here for the winter. The issue for these migrants is that our resident (unfriendly) robins already maintain all the most effective territories, so the northern birds must proceed a lot farther south to determine territories the place there aren’t any resident robins.
Whereas our Robins are famously tame and approachable, Continental Robins are usually shy. A wildlife photographer buddy of mine finds that Finnish photographers, visiting Britain, like to {photograph} Robins right here, as their birds are a lot harder to {photograph} satisfactorily.
Many makes an attempt have been made to introduce robins to America, Australia and New Zealand. All have failed. The scores of birds all over the world with the identify robin have all acquired their identify due to a bodily resemblance to Erithacus rubella, however few are even distantly associated to our hen. The Australian robins, regardless of being related in form and measurement to our hen, are actually flycatchers. The North American Robin is a thrush, however was the closest hen the early settlers may discover to their acquainted Robin from residence.
Robins feed primarily on bugs and different arthropods akin to spiders and worms, however they’re extremely omnivorous, and readily take seeds and berries. Nevertheless, given a selection of any meals, most Robins like mealworms better of all, and offering mealworms is the only option to make a backyard Robin hand tame.
