Do birds reflect a nation’s character?

IT HARDLY comes as a surprise to learn (if you did not know) that the robin is our national bird, voted for in what is claimed to be the largest “nature vote” ever. It received 34 per cent of the vote, with the barn owl and blackbird placed second and third.

I recall that at the time it was suggested that we should pick a bird found only in the UK. The choice of species was, to say the least, limited. It was an interesting idea, for the birds which took is found virtually throughout mainland Europe and in parts of Russia, the Middle East and North Africa, while the barn owl in its myriad of subspecies is virtually all over the temperate and tropical world. I think that to be faced with just one truly native species was bound to be a non-starter: the hardly charismatic (unless you particularly like blended Scotch) red grouse This species was probably received by many with the question: “What?”