The New Student's Reference Work/Redbreast

Red′breast, a bird belonging to the family of the Old World warblers. It is well-known in the British Isles, and is called robin-redbreast; but, it should be noted, this is not the American robin, which is a thrush. It is about 5¾ inches long, olive brown above, with the throat and upper breast a reddish orange. The abdomen is dull white. It occurs solitary or in pairs, and rears two or three broods a season near the ground, building a nest of dry leaves, moss, grass, hair and feathers. The eggs, usually five in number, are grayish-white speckled with rusty red. The English robin-redbreast is quite a sociable bird; it dwells close to the haunts of man and is fond of household dainties. Its song is sweet and plaintive.