1 00:00:36,111 --> 00:00:39,451 SEAN MCMENEMY: The wholesome description for Robin is perhaps 2 00:00:39,552 --> 00:00:44,802 slightly misguided and feisty could well be a better 3 00:00:44,857 --> 00:00:45,482 description. 4 00:00:48,810 --> 00:00:50,670 ROSIE HOLDSWORTH: It's that wonderful time of year again. 5 00:00:50,904 --> 00:00:54,154 The days are short, the air is crisp and the world seems to 6 00:00:54,232 --> 00:00:57,857 glow with celebration and a touch of magic. And if you look 7 00:00:57,897 --> 00:01:01,020 around you'll notice one little bird popping up everywhere. 8 00:01:02,182 --> 00:01:05,604 From wrapping paper to cosy Christmas jumpers, the Robin has 9 00:01:05,667 --> 00:01:07,807 become the true emblem of festive cheer. 10 00:01:08,549 --> 00:01:11,190 But is there more to a Robin than just being a Christmas 11 00:01:11,253 --> 00:01:11,714 mascot? 12 00:01:12,370 --> 00:01:16,292 I'm Ranger Rosie Holdsworth and welcome to the wild tale of why 13 00:01:16,293 --> 00:01:18,651 a Robin is not just for Christmas. 14 00:01:37,432 --> 00:01:40,015 The Robins connection to Christmas goes all the way back 15 00:01:40,075 --> 00:01:44,138 to the Victorian era, around the 1840s, when sending Christmas 16 00:01:44,200 --> 00:01:45,661 cards first became popular. 17 00:01:46,981 --> 00:01:50,145 At the time, postmen wore bright red uniforms and were 18 00:01:50,161 --> 00:01:55,231 affectionately nicknamed Robins on red breasts. Artists soon 19 00:01:55,294 --> 00:01:57,731 picked up on this and began illustrating the birds on the 20 00:01:57,778 --> 00:02:00,622 cards as a playful nod to the postman who delivered them. 21 00:02:02,809 --> 00:02:06,294 The charming image caught on quickly and before long, Robins 22 00:02:06,341 --> 00:02:10,376 featured on all sorts of festive items, cementing their place as 23 00:02:10,377 --> 00:02:11,798 a true Christmas symbol. 24 00:02:13,919 --> 00:02:16,599 But what is it about Robins that's meant they've stayed as 25 00:02:16,662 --> 00:02:18,896 such a Christmas favourite for so long? 26 00:02:23,162 --> 00:02:25,193 SEAN MCMENEMY: The thing with Robins is they're kind of 27 00:02:25,224 --> 00:02:26,068 omnipresent. 28 00:02:26,380 --> 00:02:28,615 ROSIE HOLDSWORTH: Garden wildlife expert and enthusiast 29 00:02:28,787 --> 00:02:29,662 Sean McMenemy. 30 00:02:30,368 --> 00:02:32,250 SEAN MCMENEMY: We're blessed that they are a bird that stays 31 00:02:32,311 --> 00:02:35,252 with us all year round. They're non-migratory, so if they're in 32 00:02:35,253 --> 00:02:37,373 the garden, they'll stay in your garden all year. 33 00:02:37,975 --> 00:02:40,940 And they'll sing through winter as well, which is very unusual 34 00:02:40,956 --> 00:02:41,823 for garden birds. 35 00:02:42,440 --> 00:02:45,362 Most birds really are just singing to sort of set a 36 00:02:45,385 --> 00:02:47,987 territory and attract mates in the springtime, and then as 37 00:02:48,002 --> 00:02:50,956 summer goes on, there's less and less bird song. 38 00:02:51,596 --> 00:02:55,596 And during wintertime, birds then will join into mixed flocks 39 00:02:56,000 --> 00:02:58,621 and fly over considerable distances as well as the 40 00:02:58,640 --> 00:02:59,380 migratory ones. 41 00:02:59,400 --> 00:03:04,502 So the Robin does stand out as a different species. And so, you 42 00:03:04,503 --> 00:03:09,244 know, there's just this light song and pretty colours at an 43 00:03:09,259 --> 00:03:11,978 otherwise grey, miserable time of year. 44 00:03:14,822 --> 00:03:16,806 ROSIE HOLDSWORTH: It's that image that shines through all 45 00:03:16,822 --> 00:03:19,806 the festive decorations and Christmas adverts this time of 46 00:03:19,884 --> 00:03:24,103 year. The bright red chest, the sweet little face, the cheerful 47 00:03:24,213 --> 00:03:28,272 hops across the frosted grass. You can't help but smile at a 48 00:03:28,292 --> 00:03:28,573 Robin. 49 00:03:29,651 --> 00:03:32,854 But winter itself is a quiet season for our interaction with 50 00:03:32,893 --> 00:03:36,503 nature. We don't linger in the garden and our walks or commutes 51 00:03:36,518 --> 00:03:39,800 are often filled more with a whisper of wind or the patter of 52 00:03:39,823 --> 00:03:40,464 raindrops. 53 00:03:41,557 --> 00:03:44,604 Yet when you hear a Robin's song, clear and bright, it's 54 00:03:44,682 --> 00:03:47,276 hard not to pay attention and enjoy it. 55 00:03:50,573 --> 00:03:53,832 SEAN MCMENEMY: Blackbirds, thrushes, nightingales are all 56 00:03:53,892 --> 00:03:58,813 renowned as our songbirds but never underestimate a Robin! 57 00:03:58,813 --> 00:04:03,235 They've got a rich melodic voice it's just such a cheerful song 58 00:04:03,274 --> 00:04:06,618 that they sing and the more phrases and the more notes that 59 00:04:06,633 --> 00:04:10,696 they can build into their song the more dominant the bird can 60 00:04:10,758 --> 00:04:15,696 appear and also maintain and attract its mate as well. 61 00:04:15,696 --> 00:04:19,300 What they'll also do is they've got this sort of tick sound 62 00:04:19,360 --> 00:04:22,442 which is a sort of slight irritation so it's "feed me a 63 00:04:22,464 --> 00:04:25,325 worm! feed me a worm!" and they've also got a scratchy sort 64 00:04:25,326 --> 00:04:27,107 of alarm call as well. 65 00:04:27,107 --> 00:04:30,896 If you're outside gardening Robins will follow us around and 66 00:04:30,989 --> 00:04:34,942 once they become familiar with you they'll come quite close and 67 00:04:34,943 --> 00:04:37,458 they can actually recognize different individuals within a 68 00:04:37,474 --> 00:04:40,849 family as well so they will know who's who's friendly who does 69 00:04:40,850 --> 00:04:43,677 the gardening and who's likely to feed them so they've got a 70 00:04:43,786 --> 00:04:45,896 number of different calls. 71 00:04:45,896 --> 00:04:48,660 Singing to say, "hey, this is my garden, clear off!" you know, " 72 00:04:48,660 --> 00:04:51,506 hey, this is my garden, isn't it amazing!" you know, "come and 73 00:04:51,507 --> 00:04:52,428 marry me!" 74 00:04:52,428 --> 00:04:55,311 But also they've got different voices to speak to the people in 75 00:04:55,312 --> 00:04:57,193 the garden as well. So they'll talk to us. 76 00:04:58,779 --> 00:05:01,850 ROSIE HOLDSWORTH: And Robin's love our gardens, feasting on 77 00:05:01,870 --> 00:05:04,731 our nuisance insects, marking out their territories and 78 00:05:04,813 --> 00:05:08,575 nesting in unexpected places like your well-worn welly boot. 79 00:05:09,356 --> 00:05:12,622 Knowing that they recognise us and perhaps even exchange a few 80 00:05:12,700 --> 00:05:16,231 conversational notes as we go about our day only adds to their 81 00:05:16,278 --> 00:05:16,591 charm. 82 00:05:17,372 --> 00:05:20,372 But while it's easy to picture ourselves in a gentle Disney 83 00:05:20,373 --> 00:05:23,825 scene chatting side by side with feathered companions among the 84 00:05:23,856 --> 00:05:27,028 roses, do Robins see us the same way? 85 00:05:27,392 --> 00:05:29,433 SEAN MCMENEMY: This little Robin, it follows me around the 86 00:05:29,452 --> 00:05:33,534 garden, it absolutely loves me and really what it's doing is 87 00:05:33,573 --> 00:05:36,612 it's just waiting for a pig to come along because that's really 88 00:05:36,675 --> 00:05:38,433 who helps it out the most you know. 89 00:05:39,034 --> 00:05:42,495 So Robins historically follow the wild boars through the 90 00:05:42,496 --> 00:05:47,058 woodland. Pigs are foragers so they're constantly digging and 91 00:05:47,089 --> 00:05:49,495 scratching and they're looking for roots and tubers which of 92 00:05:49,496 --> 00:05:53,511 course turns out lots and lots of invertebrates and worms and 93 00:05:53,573 --> 00:05:55,073 goodies for Robins. 94 00:05:57,260 --> 00:05:59,942 I always liken the fact that if we're out there with a trowel in 95 00:05:59,943 --> 00:06:02,766 the garden, rootling around in the dirt, the Robin just sees us 96 00:06:02,805 --> 00:06:03,344 as a pig. 97 00:06:05,028 --> 00:06:07,250 ROSIE HOLDSWORTH: So, although their feelings towards us are 98 00:06:07,430 --> 00:06:11,196 less fairytale scene and more practical, and perhaps not quite 99 00:06:11,197 --> 00:06:14,274 as flattering as we first imagined, the Robin's wholesome 100 00:06:14,336 --> 00:06:18,243 reputation still seems to hold up. But could there be a sharper 101 00:06:18,305 --> 00:06:21,118 edge? a side to Robins we haven't yet seen? 102 00:06:21,119 --> 00:06:26,196 SEAN MCMENEMY: The wholesome description for a Robin is 103 00:06:26,644 --> 00:06:32,331 perhaps slightly misguided and feisty could well be a better 104 00:06:32,370 --> 00:06:33,011 description! 105 00:06:39,554 --> 00:06:43,874 They are notoriously aggressive birds because, again, holding 106 00:06:43,937 --> 00:06:47,390 territory and they will fight to the death. 107 00:06:50,546 --> 00:06:53,483 It's a very rare event, but because of that, they've got 108 00:06:53,515 --> 00:06:57,322 some very strict rules when it comes to sort of challenging one 109 00:06:57,343 --> 00:06:58,122 another. 110 00:06:58,122 --> 00:07:01,888 So first off is is the song, then after that another Robin 111 00:07:01,947 --> 00:07:05,009 challenging it will come in and then they puff themselves up the 112 00:07:05,087 --> 00:07:08,775 red chest is stuck out and they'll strut and they'll sit on 113 00:07:08,776 --> 00:07:11,829 a high branch and they'll say " look how big I am! Look how 114 00:07:11,923 --> 00:07:13,814 tough I am!" while singing. 115 00:07:13,814 --> 00:07:17,548 And if that still doesn't deter another bird they'll then sort 116 00:07:17,549 --> 00:07:20,892 of do these chest bumps they'll jump up at each other and bump 117 00:07:21,033 --> 00:07:25,284 their chests to sort of say "Can you see how powerful I am?" 118 00:07:25,284 --> 00:07:28,026 You know, and only if that fails, they'll then get to 119 00:07:28,065 --> 00:07:28,424 grips. 120 00:07:29,624 --> 00:07:35,370 The fights are ferocious and are dangerous, which is why they 121 00:07:35,424 --> 00:07:39,213 have all of these steps leading up to it. So it really is a last 122 00:07:39,260 --> 00:07:39,635 resort. 123 00:07:39,667 --> 00:07:43,182 No one comes out of a fight, you know, unscathed, shall we say, 124 00:07:43,323 --> 00:07:46,792 to the point where I found some fighting Robins a number of 125 00:07:46,807 --> 00:07:49,792 years ago and I went across and I actually picked them up in my 126 00:07:49,885 --> 00:07:54,633 hand because they were so set on violence to one another that 127 00:07:54,655 --> 00:07:55,955 they didn't even notice me. 128 00:07:59,500 --> 00:08:01,481 ROSIE HOLDSWORTH: When we picture such sheer aggression 129 00:08:01,559 --> 00:08:05,403 and unbridled rage, our minds tend to go to a bull, not a 130 00:08:05,442 --> 00:08:09,528 Robin. It's hard to imagine something so small being quite 131 00:08:09,575 --> 00:08:10,293 so fierce. 132 00:08:12,278 --> 00:08:14,418 SEAN MCMENEMY: Bulls are probably less violent than 133 00:08:14,559 --> 00:08:18,918 Robins, if I think about it. Traditionally, red will set a 134 00:08:18,934 --> 00:08:20,965 bull off, you know, and it will make it charge. 135 00:08:20,996 --> 00:08:24,428 Well, exactly the same with Robins but one of the defense 136 00:08:24,467 --> 00:08:29,611 systems of it is when the chicks do leave the nest they're all 137 00:08:29,651 --> 00:08:32,752 they don't have the red breast of the adults they're like a 138 00:08:32,815 --> 00:08:36,557 mottled brown so they're quite plain looking so the parents 139 00:08:36,619 --> 00:08:39,846 don't object to them and drive them out before they're ready. 140 00:08:39,846 --> 00:08:42,721 But it's not just a Robin that will set them off if you put a 141 00:08:42,752 --> 00:08:47,205 red coat out or a red flower there's a rosy apple if they see 142 00:08:47,206 --> 00:08:50,299 a reflection of themselves in a window it will be fighting it. 143 00:08:50,616 --> 00:08:54,058 It's burning through an enormous amount of energy. And so, you 144 00:08:54,059 --> 00:08:56,562 know, if you do ever see that happening, it's just remove 145 00:08:57,043 --> 00:08:59,605 whatever it is that's triggering that behaviour in a Robin 146 00:08:59,668 --> 00:09:03,668 because it's really detrimental. So it won't harm itself in the 147 00:09:03,707 --> 00:09:08,137 sense of cuts and bruises, but it will completely exhaust 148 00:09:08,199 --> 00:09:08,621 itself. 149 00:09:11,012 --> 00:09:15,855 They're incredibly industrious birds, but they're small, frail, 150 00:09:16,308 --> 00:09:19,957 and they're with us all year round. And as a result of that, 151 00:09:20,097 --> 00:09:24,540 they do have relatively short lives, but they compensate by 152 00:09:24,923 --> 00:09:29,290 the fact that they are really, really busy breeders. So they're 153 00:09:29,291 --> 00:09:31,712 one of the first birds to breed in the country. 154 00:09:32,267 --> 00:09:35,650 You can find Robins on a nest, you know, late January, February 155 00:09:35,728 --> 00:09:39,400 time if the weather's good. And they'll have two, three, even 156 00:09:39,572 --> 00:09:42,197 potentially four broods during the course of a year. 157 00:09:42,978 --> 00:09:46,540 So short lives, but absolutely wonderful lives because they 158 00:09:46,822 --> 00:09:48,087 make the most of it. 159 00:09:50,048 --> 00:09:52,489 ROSIE HOLDSWORTH: As the cosy indoor months settle in you 160 00:09:52,548 --> 00:09:55,550 might find yourself wondering how to help your Robin friends 161 00:09:55,628 --> 00:09:59,667 thrive. So what's the best way to ensure that little red bird 162 00:09:59,768 --> 00:10:01,753 keeps happily hopping around your garden? 163 00:10:05,729 --> 00:10:08,354 SEAN MCMENEMY: Quite often you'll see Robins flapping away 164 00:10:08,370 --> 00:10:12,089 and trying to land on you know the tube type bird seed feeders. 165 00:10:12,432 --> 00:10:14,214 That's a distressed hungry Robin. 166 00:10:14,924 --> 00:10:17,785 Because they're natural ground feeders, they've got little thin 167 00:10:17,885 --> 00:10:21,024 legs, if you look closely, little thin toes, and they 168 00:10:21,067 --> 00:10:24,383 haven't got the perching claws that the tree dwellers, the 169 00:10:24,430 --> 00:10:25,867 finches and the tits have. 170 00:10:26,383 --> 00:10:30,047 And so, you know, they try to clasp these feeders and then 171 00:10:30,305 --> 00:10:32,422 most of the time they've got the wings flapping away and they'll 172 00:10:32,423 --> 00:10:34,813 grab a seed and they'll slide off and go away. 173 00:10:35,203 --> 00:10:37,547 So every time you put the bird feeder out, if you have got 174 00:10:37,610 --> 00:10:40,844 Robins, is just scatter a few seeds on the ground for it 175 00:10:41,016 --> 00:10:42,953 rather than in a hanging feeder. 176 00:10:43,424 --> 00:10:46,111 And even better still is if you can get some mealworms, dried 177 00:10:46,191 --> 00:10:49,679 mealworms or live mealworms, because they are through and 178 00:10:49,699 --> 00:10:50,804 through insectivores. 179 00:10:51,565 --> 00:10:56,188 If you can afford some time just to stop and think about what 180 00:10:56,251 --> 00:10:59,274 it's doing and why it's doing it, when it's hopping around and 181 00:10:59,294 --> 00:11:02,696 following you about the garden, just watch it and just see. 182 00:11:02,735 --> 00:11:06,118 And it's just sharing their world occasionally, which is 183 00:11:06,141 --> 00:11:08,548 just so lovely and brings joy. 184 00:11:23,657 --> 00:11:25,820 ROSIE HOLDSWORTH: Although the Robin has inadvertently become 185 00:11:25,821 --> 00:11:28,982 the spirit of Christmas, and it's easy to see why, with that 186 00:11:29,084 --> 00:11:32,064 bright red breast and the cheerful song spreading a little 187 00:11:32,142 --> 00:11:34,345 light even on the greyest of winter days. 188 00:11:35,150 --> 00:11:38,314 But as we've discovered, there's far more to this small garden 189 00:11:38,369 --> 00:11:41,502 companion than festive decorations and Christmas cards. 190 00:11:42,923 --> 00:11:47,002 Robins are bold, sometimes fiercely so, and they're with us 191 00:11:47,205 --> 00:11:50,783 all year round. So perhaps we can appreciate the Robin for 192 00:11:50,908 --> 00:11:54,648 longer than the festive season. Because a Robin is not just for 193 00:11:54,668 --> 00:11:55,148 Christmas. 194 00:12:10,980 --> 00:12:14,183 Thanks for joining me on this wild tale. To hear more 195 00:12:14,230 --> 00:12:17,324 episodes, follow us on your favourite podcast app. And you 196 00:12:17,355 --> 00:12:21,582 can also find us on Instagram, @wildtalesNT. See you next time 197 00:12:21,682 --> 00:12:23,444 and have a lovely Christmas.