Okay, we could open this with the usual bird allusions – you know the type of thing – “birds, can’t beat em … and the feathered variety has its moments too!”, but we’re not going to lower the tone by being so twee. Suffice it to say that if ever there was a community that was perfect to don a “twitcher” mantle, it could well be ours!
We swore blind we’d never turn into twitchers – it’s the realm of the older generation when they have nothing better to do we thought. How very wrong we were. And how very not alone we seem to be! 
At what point did our conversation steer from “that gorgeous woman who owns the local off-licence” to “honest, a robin just landed on my hand and ate the food right out of it!” Our once-considered-‘cool’ friends have succumbed, so who are we not to follow suit and tow the twitcher line?!
We admit it though – we know absolutely nothing about birds! However we’ve heard a rumour that a fair few Sapphies out there are morphing into bona fide twitchers, so we have willingly delved into the archives and uncovered some weird and wonderful little facts about the Robin. If you’re a bit of a twitcher already, we probably haven’t found out anything that you don’t already know … but if you’re in the pre-twitcher phase like us, this may well be one of those “I didn’t know that” moments.
- Did you know that the robin was officially adopted as Britain’s national bird in 1960?
- Robins are fiercely territorial and have been known to fight to the death in defence of their territory.
- Apparently a Robin’s red breast is used solely for territory defence – put a stuffed robin in a real Robin’s territory and it’s likely it will attack it!
- A Robin can use up to 10% of its body weight just surviving a cold winter’s night.
- Robins are attentive parents and have even been seen feeding the chicks or fledglings of other species as well as their own.
- Robins and their nests are fully protected under the law – it is a criminal offence to intentionally kill, injure or take a wild bird; or to take, damage or destroy the eggs, young or nest of a robin while it is being built.
- Robins love to sing! They are usually one of the first to kick off the dawn chorus and one of the last to stop at night. They are also one of the few birds in the UK that sing all year round. If you hear singing at night, it’s also probably the Robin who has been known to get carried away in floodlights or streetlights! Bless!
- Robins love to eat mealworms – but if you can’t get your head around that – they are also partial to cheese, cake, dried fruit and biscuit! [Source:RSPB]
- Legends abound as to how the Robin originally got its red breast. Some say that it happened when the bird tried to pull the bloody thorns from Christ’s head at the crucifixion and a drop of blood landed on the bird’s breast. Some say that it got its red breast when it was taking water into the depths of burning hell for the sinners trapped there.
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For the superstitious – it is said to be extremely unlucky to kill a Robin (the hand that kills a Robin with continue to shake forever!). A Robin tapping on your window is apparently a sign of death! Make a wish when you see the first Robin of the season – it will bring you good luck (if you haven’t finished making your wish before the Robin flies away though – you’re stuffed, because no luck will be present for the next 12 months!)
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Famous Robins:
o Robin Hood
o Robin Williams
o Batman and Robin
o Reliant Robin
o The Robins – Cheltenham Town FC
o The Robins – Hull Kingston Rovers RLFC
o Robin’s Nest
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Quotes: “One tree won’t hold two robins” (Proverb); “A Robin Redbreast in a cage puts all heaven in a rage” (William Blake);
