Little Robin Redbreast – a common sight

A regular sight

The Robin Red Breast is almost as common a sight as any other bird on my daily walk, and it’s hard to think of day when a robin isn’t to be seen. Although the European robin is associated with Christmas he is fact an all year round bird.

It’s worth saying as well that the European robin is not the bird mentioned in the 1920’s song from America that features the line ‘When the red, red Robin comes bob, bob, bobbin’ along’, that line in fact relates to the American Robin, which is actually a red-breasted thrush.

The association with Christmas and winter goes back to Victorian times. In that era most people only really received post at Christmas. At that time postmen wore red uniforms and were often known by the nickname ‘Robin Redbreast’, and so the connection with Christmas was made with Robins often being featured on Christmas cards.

The bird also has a religious connection for Christians as legend/myth has it that the red breast came about by a drop of blood falling on it during the crucifixion of Christ. But all historical or mythical associations aside – the robin really is an all year round bird.

Little Robin Red Breast

The Little Robin Redbreast nursery rhyme is an old and traditional one, first seen in “Tommy Thumb’s Pretty Song Book”, and which was published around 1744. Over the years and perhaps not surprisingly, there have been different versions published, here’s one of them.

Little Robin Redbreast sat upon a tree,
Up went pussycat and down went he,
Down came pussycat, away Robin ran,
Says little Robin Redbreast, “Catch me if you can.”

Little Robin Redbreast jumped upon a wall,
Pussycat jumped after him, and almost had a fall.
Little Robin chirped and sang and what did pussy say?
Pussycat said “Meow”, and Robin flew away.