Opinions differ about just how the bird commonly known as the American Robin got its name. One popular story follows the idea that when early settlers from Europe arrived on the eastern shores of what would someday become the United States and Canada, they thought the orange-breasted thrushes they saw there looked similar to the Robins they knew so well back in Europe; hence they called these New World birds by the same name – robins.
John from Farnham Common, UK, however knows perfectly well what Robins really look like and was kind enough to share an image of one he recorded with his BirdCam. Seeing this, we can easily understand how those early settlers might have been confused.
Recent Comments