The robin was probably one of the first to be named. When the settlers
saw this friendly bird, with a breast colored somewhat like the robin
redbreast of England, they called him "Robin," after the favorite of
their far-away homes.
The two birds are really quite unlike. The robin redbreast is less than
six inches in length, and is slighter than our bluebird, while our robin
is ten inches long, and is, as every one knows, a stout, heavy bird.
There is only a general resemblance in color, both birds having a
brownish-red breast; probably our bird's name is due as much to his
friendly ways as to his appearance.
The robin is a migratory bird, and in winter is not usually found north
of New Jersey and Pennsylvania. This is his playtime in the sunny South.
He lives in flocks containing hundreds and even thousands of birds. They
feed on the berries of the dogwood, china tree and mistletoe, and are
the jolliest lot of birds it is possible to imagine.
Some are singing; not so long a song as they sing in the summer, but
just a kind of gay humming; while others are dashing about, chasing one
another through the woods in sport.
But the robin is a great home-lover. At the very first sign of spring he
begins to think about returning to us, and some warm day, late in
February, we may generally find him hunting for food about the grassy
banks of a spring, or on the sheltered side of a wood.
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