ROBINS (Erithacus rubecula)

The Robin is a solitary bird, a tiny creature with very fine legs and feet… it will usually only appear on its own and seldom near other, larger birds. Often a Robin will be the first visitor to the garden, before the other birds arrive for breakfast. They sing a mournful song, a waterfall of warbling notes. Often too a Robin’s song will be the last to be heard as dusk falls.

Robins are small but fearless. They fight ferocious territorial battles in springtime. The result of these battles is that there is only ever one Robin at a time visiting the prized  territory, which includes our garden. Does your garden robin look different this year?  It may not be the same bird.

They can come quite close when you are digging in the soil, waiting to see what you unearth in the way of protein for them. They relish insects, spiders, slugs & small worms, accepting grated cheese from the wildlife gardener & suet pellets & mealworms from the RSPB, good pet shops & mail order.

Robins whisk about in short, straight flights. Their red breasts make them stand out against the shady overhang at the back of our garden.

My friend Slin married John, who is Greek. They were living in Virginia, watching birds in the garden from the window, one a North American Robin. John said to Slin ‘”Your Robin! So big!” The North American Robin is more the size of a Thrush when compared with our small, nippy ‘British’ Robin, who is also a European Robin and may have flown in from the continent.