Our hero today is a guy you might have seen a million times.
It's the European robin – a small, common bird from Europe with the makings of a real star. In 2015, the British officially nominated it as their national bird. It's widely known and associated with Great Britain, where it often appears on Christmas cards.
The robin is not just a born model. It's also a vocalist. Its lyrical song not only brightens the day but also has a practical function – it lets other robins know where its territory ends. In terms of appearance, the male and female are identical – both sport the same elegant orange breast. The young lack this trademark feature, which, as it turns out, has a hidden purpose.
Robins are omnivores. Instead of digging in the ground, they prefer to hunt – they watch for prey from a branch, then dive down to catch insects in mid-air.
When it comes to nests, the robin is a master of improvisation. You can find one in a tree hollow, but just as easily in an old shoe, under the hood of a scrapped car, or between bricks. It uses mostly dry leaves for construction. The female incubates the eggs alone for two weeks, while the male is in charge of gathering food.
And this is where we get to the dark side of the robin's nature. They are territorial gangsters, ready for war. The male aggressively patrols his borders, and an intrusion by a rival can end in a fight to the death. He recognizes enemies by their orange breast. And here lies the brilliant explanation why the young lack this color. It allows them to stay safely on their parents' territory because they don't look like competition!
And if we were to look back at Norse legends, we'd find that this little bird was a companion to Thor himself – the god of thunder, storms, and fire. Moreover, according to their beliefs, it was the robins who brought fire from the heavens to the people, as a gift from the gods. Not bad for such a little guy, right?
