The robin – an animal so intertwined in the images the mind conjures up when one thinks of Christmas, that we couldn’t disassociate the two.

The little plump ball of feathers reminds us of the chilly snowy Dickensian nights beside the fire, but this hasn’t always been the case. The idea of the robin isn’t as old as you may think! Find out more!

The love of robin’s in the U.K. is not something shared around the world, with many nations shooting their robins for a range of reasons including food and sport. During the Victorian period, robin skins were used as a bizarre ladies’ hat accessory.

Each robin is quite unique, with each bird having a unique, but difficult to identify breast pattern. The oldest red robin ever recorded was 13 years old. If a bird is fed during the winter, it will carry on returning to the area for the whole winter.

Robin’s singing is often mistaken for that of a nightingales. This is supposedly due to street lights confusing the birds and making them believe it’s still daylight. They actually have quite the sweet tooth, being known to steal fruit cake and uncooked sweetened pastries.