Robin
(Erithacus rubecula)
The Robin is the UK’s favourite bird. We love it for its pretty red breast, its association with Christmas and its friendliness – every gardener knows the joy of turning round while digging to find a robin standing calmly within touching distance, asking politely if they have unearthed any worms.
Robins are common birds who live in Scotland all year round and are a familiar sight in and around Killearn, where they are frequent visitors to our gardens. They are active in daytime, looking for meals of worms, seeds, fruits, insects and other invertebrates. When not eating, the males are defending their territory, and for all the robin’s benign image they can be fierce when dealing with intruders. The song we so often hear and enjoy is a pointed warning to other robins to keep away.
Fascinating fact:
The robin’s comfort around humans often extends to its choice of nest site. The female – after being admitted to the male’s territory – builds a cup-shaped nest of moss, hair, grass and dead leaves and puts it on or close to the ground, and robins have been found raising their families on garden shelves and even in plant pots or wellies.
Robins are happy in many habitats, from woodland to farmland to urban and suburban areas. Pairs produce two clutches of eggs a year between March and June. Adults generally live for about two years but individuals have reached the age of eight. Their main enemies are birds of prey and domestic cats and dogs.
Did you know
The robin has been a symbol of Christmas for centuries. Our forebears identified its red breast with the blood of Christ, and would never harm it. In Victorian times, when people began to send Christmas cards, the postmen wore red jackets and were nicknamed “robins”.