Robin crowned as Britain's national bird after 200,000-strong ballot
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Version 0 of 1. America has the bald eagle, France has the Gallic rooster, and now Britain has the robin. A nationwide ballot saw more than 200,000 people elect the robin as Britain’s national bird, after it swooped away with 34 per cent of the vote. It beat competition from the barn owl, which came second with 12 per cent, and the blackbird in third with 11 per cent. People voted online, at ballot boxes in schools and even by postal vote following a campaign to name the country’s national bird launched by ornithologist David Lindo. He began the project last year when he realised Britain did not have a national bird, unlike countries such as India, France and Japan. Mr Lindo said he would speak to the Government once the public had voted to see if the winner can be awarded the title officially. The red-breasted creature has long been a part of Britain’s cultural tapestry, most notably with its image adorning Christmas decorations every year. It was selected with nine others from a list of 60 birds in a preliminary vote and a ballot for the final 10 opened to the British public in March. Other contenders included the wren, the kingfisher and the puffin. A separate vote for children shored up the robin’s victory, with it being declared the winner with 20 per cent of the vote in a ballot involving more than 11,000 young people. Mr Lindo said: “The robin is Britain’s most familiar bird so it’s perhaps fitting that it has been chosen by the nation to be our national bird. The Vote National Bird campaign is in fact a victory for all our British birds… It has reminded the British people how much they love the nature around us.” |