Robin - Robin (English spelling) robin

A bird of the order Passeriformes, family Muscicapidae, subfamily Turdus. Widely distributed in Europe, some birds migrate slightly south to spend the winter. It is also known as the European robin because it is in the same genus as the Japanese robin, which is endemic to Japan, and looks similar to it. It is about 14 cm long. The sexes are the same color, with olive brown upperparts, orange faces and chests, and white bellies. In continental Europe, they live in forests, but in Britain they often live near human dwellings, and it is not uncommon to find them building nests on the ground or in the shade of something close to the ground, such as between stone walls or in letterboxes. Its adorable appearance with big, sparkling black eyes, beautiful song, and fearless attitude have made it especially beloved by the British, and it has become their national bird. It mainly preys on spiders and insects with its thin beak, and in winter it also eats nuts and breadcrumbs given to it by people. It lays five or six eggs in April and May, and only the female incubates them for 12 to 15 days.

[Nobuo Takeshita]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

鳥綱スズメ目ヒタキ科ツグミ亜科の鳥。ヨーロッパに広く分布し、一部の鳥はやや南方に渡り越冬する。日本特産のコマドリと同属で姿も似ているので、ヨーロッパコマドリの別名がある。全長約14センチメートル。雌雄同色で、上面はオリーブ褐色、顔と胸はオレンジ色、腹は白い。ヨーロッパ大陸では森林性であるが、イギリスでは人家近くにも多く生息し、地上または地面近くの物陰、たとえば石垣の間や郵便受けなどに巣をつくることも珍しくない。大きな黒い目が輝く愛らしい容姿と美しいさえずり、人おじしない態度はイギリス人にことのほか愛され、国鳥となっている。細い嘴(くちばし)でおもにクモや昆虫を捕食し、冬には木の実や人の与えるパンくずなども食べる。4～5月に5、6個の卵を産み、雌だけが12～15日間抱卵する。

［竹下信雄］

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