Donal Hickey: The robin’s winter song brings cheer and hope

Ever since the practice of sending Christmas cards began around 200 years ago, the robin has featured

The cheeky, but likeable, robin stands out as the favourite wild bird of Christmas. Apart from its red breast, which contrasts with the white, snowy background, there’s another reason why this little bird is so prominent at this time.

Many people believe it’s because of the robin’s winter song, which brings cheer and hope - and we could all do with plenty of that as 2020 nears its end. Birdwatch surveys show the robin is with us all year round and is found in almost 100% of gardens in winter.