Birds: Robin (Spideog, Erithacus rubecula)

Having covered lots of different Irish bird species in previous issues, it's probably about time that I got around to writing about the one that most people tell me is their very favourite. The Robin is a very common year-round sight in gardens, parks and woodlands all over the country, and as many as four million breeding individuals are estimated to live here.

Having covered lots of different Irish bird species in previous issues, it's probably about time that I got around to writing about the one that most people tell me is their very favourite. The Robin is a very common year-round sight in gardens, parks and woodlands all over the country, and as many as four million breeding individuals are estimated to live here.

Easily identified both by its famous red breast and on account of its unusual tameness, the Robin is always one of the first birds to visit bird tables and feeders. Contrary to what is sometimes thought, the sexes are indistinguishable from each other in the field, and unusually for an Irish bird, both the male and the female sing and defend territory.

At 14cm in length, the Robin is about the same size as a House Sparrow, though because of its habit of fluffing up its feathers, particularly in cold weather, it often looks significantly plumper. The back and wings are a uniform brown colour, and the underparts are white, save of course for the red breast and face. Look out also for the narrow band of blue-grey that separates the red from the brown on the forehead, neck and shoulders. For the first couple of months of their lives, young Robins look quite different from their parents: when they first leave the nest they are the same size and shape, but are much more speckled overall, resembling a miniature thrush, and completely lack any traces of red.

Robins enjoy a wide and varied diet, eating worms, insects, spiders, small seeds, berries and even, occasionally, carrion. Highly territorial birds, even during the winter, their “cute and cuddly” reputation belies their sometimes very aggressive nature: on occasion rival Robins involved in territorial disputes will even fight to the death.

If you would to join BirdWatch Ireland and support their conservation work, please call 01 2819878, email info@birdwatchireland.ie or visit www.birdwatchireland.ie. For a limited time, all new members will receive a special wild bird DVD. Village readers can also receive a free series of wallcharts all about Robins and other garden birds by writing to: Village Bird Chart Offer, BirdWatch Ireland, PO Box 12, Greystones, Co Wicklow.