Birding in December 2010
Today we associate robins with Christmas, and the bird always appears on our Christmas cards. A common explanation is that the Victorian postmen who delivered cards wore red uniforms, and were nicknamed "robin redbreasts". So people associated receiving their cards with robins. The truth is probably much simpler, for the robin is most visible at Christmas, when its bright red breast, which the bird puffs out to keep warm, brings colour and sound to drab surroundings.
There are many tales of the origin of the red breast, all involving acts of kindness by the robin. My favourite is that he flew to Bethlehem to see baby Jesus soon after his birth but found the stable cold with the fire going out. To help he fanned the fire with his wings until it glowed red hot, thus scorching his breast.
The Robin's diet is principally insects and worms, which it will normally catch by swooping, that is to say, snatching its prey on the ground after watching for movement from a perch above. (They follow me when I’m digging the soil over for any easy pickings). In the depths of winter, when insect food is scarce they will often take cake, especially fruit cake, and uncooked pastry. Mealworms are a firm favourite, which they will often take from Julie’s hand. A friend of ours by Bollitree told us that last Christmas she fed her robin plum pudding and brandy sauce, having eaten his share it fell off the chair back on which it was perching. Left in a safe place to sleep off the effects, needless to say it never touched another drop!
Outside the breeding season male and female robins sing to declare and defend their individual territories their song is a fluent mixture of thin squeaky notes with varied speed and pitch with very little repetition. The call is a hard, brief ‘tic’ which extends into a long protracted sequence when disturbed. Behaviour changes around Christmas-time they will begin to explore other robins' territories seeking a mate. By mid-January the majority will be paired. Male robins will continue to sing, declaring what has become a joint future breeding territory.
CDH