A Celebration of the Robin Redbreast

Have you seen a Robin Redbreast of late? No doubt you will have either seen one or heard one as they follow you around the garden, just waiting for you to turn a few sods of soil, so they can visit their local supermarket and enjoy a feast of worms! Yes, the common Robin appears to be a very friendly chap to all gardeners because of that food connection, but is also rather a scary warrior to other birds within the community! They also sing during the day and night, which is some competition for the hooting owls! So, there seems to be quite a lot to say about this little chirpy chap.

To celebrate the common Robin Redbreast, Alice, our Activities Coordinator explored some facts about this species, and our residents engaged in a couple of quizzes to test their knowledge. The structure of this activity focused upon the presentation of information, and was wonderful at prompting conversations regarding the wonders of wildlife and how we perceive the Robin in art e.g. the Christmas card image. And of course, at some point, nearly everyone has met a person named after this little bird! Yes, Robin Hood, Batman’s friend, Robin, and so many more. We can definitely say that we most certainly have not met anyone called Sparrow or Crow! So, this must mean our ancestors were quite selective in choosing Christian names!

The point of reference when discussing the Robin is how we feel when we observe a Robin Redbreast hopping around the garden. And why is this bird so loved in Britain? Could it be because of legends from long ago and the association with Christianity? It is believed the name of the Robin Redbreast came to be because a little robin helped to keep baby Jesus warm in the crib by fluttering his wings over a fire and, in doing so, scorched his feathers on his breast.

With all these facts in mind, Alice and our residents created a poem about the Robin, focusing on the colours of their feathers, the sounds of their cheery, chirpy songs, their fluttery and distinctive hopping movement, and the joy they bring to humankind. We hope you enjoy reading this little poem as much as Alice and our residents enjoyed creating it.