The Most Christmassy Birds

Good tidings and all that my festive friends!

The less said about tier four, the better. Sure, Christmas plans have been torn to ruins, lorries are piling up in Kent and lettuces are vanishing but - it's almost Christmas and the end of 2020. My suspicion is that this is the end of the beginning but my prayers are this is the beginning of the end. Rock bottom just seems to be getting deeper eh...

BUT ENOUGH OF THAT: Yay for Christmas! Lots of lights, mountains of munchies and Chicken Run on TV, what can't you love about this traditional time of year? However, ornithologically speaking, there is one creature so synonymous with Crimbo that you'd think they live in caves until December. If you don't have a robin displayed somewhere in your house right now, you're not doing Christmas right. A card, bauble or crudely-wrapped Toblerone, these red-throated rascals follow our every festive move and let's face it, they are ruddy cute.

That being said, not to rock the boat, but are they getting a bit... boring? Sure, they're part of the furniture at this time of year but with so many other great bird species in Britain, should the yuletide spotlight shine on another? The 'turtle doves' in the twelve days reside in Africa this time of year (so do they know it's Christmastime at all?) and penguins get a bye because snow is a wintery thing, so who else can we add to the list for next year? Which bird should cover our mantlepieces and be snipped into snow angels? Who should rival the robin for the ultimate Christmas bird? Well, here are some options:

BRAMBLING

A true trouser rubber. These are an ultimate wintertime bird and absolute beauties as well. These essentially rustic chaffinches scream of chilly December days and are always a treat to see around this time of year. Sadly, they're not quite as common as a robin, however, that obscurity is what gives them their charm. That bright orange breast isn't too far from our quintessential little rockers so if you don't want to be quite so unorthodox, these guys would be a simple switch. I could certainly imagine a brambling atop my Christmas tree, could you?

SNOW BUNTING

How these guys aren't a mainstay of Christmas across the country is beyond me. They literally have snow in the name but no-one could bat an eye-lid to these absolute stonkers. Snow buntings are a twitcher's dream come true and with their ice white colouring and dainty orange bills, they're also the perfect cover stars for a frosty Christmas card. Their mottled grey and brown back make them look like they're already wearing a Christmas jumper. They're practically begging to be in the club. Alas, their rarity is probably their downfall, but that shouldn't stop them being a future festive icon.

REDWING

One of the most important attributes of a Christmassy bird is one which manifests a strong sense of nostalgia for this time of year. The winter arrival of the redwing is certainly one that ticks that box. With our Christmas colour scheme mostly being red, these guys have that covered as well. Long and dark winter nights are all about listening out for these fabulous thrushes flitting overhead. Get a snap of one of them devouring a holly or hawthorn berry and you've got yourself a cracker. The season is not complete without them so if anyone can overthrow the robin, it's these guys.

GREY PARTRIDGE

Is this inclusion cheating ever so slightly? They may be synonymous with sitting in a pear tree but our colloquially 'English' partridges don't tend to get the festive plaudits they deserve. Our Christmas dinners usually revolve around game birds but we can perhaps appreciate them without covering them in gravy. For those growing up in the countryside, Christmastime is all about frosty forrays around farmland and plump partridges are denizens of broad open fields. Well, at least they should be, their significant population declines have made them sadly scarce. Maybe a more prominent profile at Christmas would help, they'd make a great bauble of theme for a Christmas jumper?

BARN OWL

I'm biased and I don't even care. Owls tend to be symbols of wisdom but why not a white owl as a symbol of Christmas? Barn owls aren't exclusive to winter but there's something extra etherial about watching these spirit-like birds glide over snow covered fields. The reflection makes them seemingly glow. If you're going to employ a new poster-boy for Christmas, you need something that is charismatic, eye-catching and ultimately merry. Ignore the fact that they're a shrieking mouse destroyer, they'd look glorious on a Christmas card. Hardly a regular garden visitor for most but maybe they can be a regular on the Christmas tree.

That's my list anyway, which birds do you think should be part of Christmas tradition more? Let me know in the comments below...

Adios and Feliz Navidad!