![]() I've always wondered why robins are associated with winter, even though we see them just as much almost all throughout the year (unless we include sightings on Christmas cards!). Initially I just thought that maybe it's because there are so many photos about of them in the snow as they make such great photos with their red breast looking so bright against the white snow; but I've been doing a bit of research to find out why and basically, there's no exact reason, but a few different 'theories' that I'm sure have all contributed together. 1 - In the late summer months, young robins tend not to be seen quite as much as they are undergoing a partial moult and will soon emerge to show off their new red breast (which is present whether they are male or female - a common misconception). This requires a lot of effort from the bird as they have to use their energy to re-grow their feathers so less is spent on singing and flying. So, we may see slightly more in the winter months. 2 - In winter, our resident robins are commonly joined by robins from Scandinavia & Russia and so the overall robin population will increase slightly. These 2 robins are pretty much identical, although the migrant robin tends to be greyer in colour and slightly smaller. Also, the migrant prefers a woody environment and are less tame than the British counterparts! 3 - According to one forum that I read, postmen delivering Christmas cards represent robins due to their red uniform which is why the robin eventually became a symbol of Christmas! Postmen were nicknamed robin - or formerly 'redbreast'. Eventually, the robin became the national bird of Britain, as elected by the public. 4 - An article written by David Chapman (wildlife photographer) suggests a legend that the robin protected baby Jesus from the fire next to his crib and when doing this, the breast of the robin was scorched; giving it it's characteristic red breast. Another that the robin is associated with resurrection as one pulled a thorn from Christ when he was on the cross - the blood creating the red breast. Both of these could suggest the robin's Christmas association. So, all of these factors (and I'm sure many more) have probably contributed to the association of the robin with winter, and Christmas! ©
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