Finally got around to recording the Winter Robin Song! Not ideal recording conditions with all this wind and rain but I just about managed to get some clear isolated recordings while hiding out of the wind beneath some thick bushes. You'll hear plenty of other Robins singing in the background back and forth this guy so I was spoiled with choice a bit. In the last section when the wind picks up, you'll also hear that this Robin has mimicked a couple phrases from either a Blue Tit or Great Tit.
There is a distinctive difference between a Winter song and a spring/summer song of a Robin. There are a number of theories as to why this is the case; 1. The birds that sing in the winter are often migratory birds off the continent 2. They expend less energy on the content of their song as it serves a slightly different function to that of a spring song. 3. Colder Weather inhibits their ability to produce a full spring/summer song as it does require a lot of energy that they cannot afford to waste. Personally, I think all of those points play a part in why their song is slightly different in winter. Some may not even notice the difference but if you compare this song to another recording that I did closer to spring - https://soundcloud.com/gavin-vella/sets/favourite-recordings - you can certainly hear a difference in melody and see a difference in the length of phrases. The linked recording is more melodic and clearly has more energy. That said, I do love a Winter Robin, it keeps me going throughout the winter months.
