The iconic bird on which my blog identity is based has twice been voted Britain's national bird. The robin (Erithacus rubecula) holds a special place in the heart of the people of the UK, and here are some possible reasons why.
In Britain, the Robin has a reputation as the gardener’s friend. They will confidently loiter close by while you work outside, anticipating that some tasty insects will flee in their direction. Even if you're just out and about enjoying the British countryside, the small bird most likely to stop and check you out will be a robin.
The robin has a long standing association with Christmas. The postmen delivering your Christmas cards in Victorian Britain would have worn red jackets which earned them the nickname "Robins". Another Christmas connection is the story that the robin was a dull brown bird until its breast was stained red by the blood of Christ as it tried to protect him from a thorn in his crown.
A children’s nursery rhyme, Who killed Cock Robin? has it's first recorded writing in the 18th century. I misremembered this as a murder mystery, where various suspect birds give their alibis until we reach the sparrow and his bow and arrow. Revisiting it as an adult, the sparrow declares his heinous crime at the start (before spoiler alerts were a thing). A 15th century stained glass window in Buckland Rectory, Gloucestershire, may also depict this story.
Leaping forward to 1940, the robin got a dynamic pop culture makeover as Batman's sidekick, although his American creators will have been referencing the American robin. The keenest robin experts will note that my robin's red breast (in the header) doesn't extend around its face (artistic licence!). In this respect it's more like an American robin; but how else do the two types of robin compare, I hear no-one ask?
European vs American Robin: Head to Head
| Species | European Robin | American Robin |
| Length | 12.5cm to 14cm | 23cm to 28cm |
| Range | Western Europe to Western Siberia | North America |
| Plumage | Male & female look the same | Female has duller plumage |
| Diet | Mostly invertebrates | A 60/40 mix of berries and invertebrates |
| Behaviour | Highly aggressive to competitors | Assemble in large flocks at night, to roost |
| Fun Fact | Said to be bolder in the British Isles due to the protection conferred by the aforementioned Christian connection | Known to get drunk on fermented Firethorn berries |
