Object of the Month: December 2025

Christmas Birds from leicester Museums & Galleries Taxidermy Collection

Taxidermy

20th Century

• Turtle dove: Gift of Mr O Murray-Dixon.
• Turtle dove: Gift of Mr M Gauci.
• Red-legged Partridge: Gift of Mr S H Hancock.
• Robin: Gift of Mr H Bradshaw.

Chosen by Caitlin Price, Collections Access Officer

Christmas is a bad time to be a goose or a turkey but there are many other more fortunate birds associated with the festive season.

Robins are synonymous with Christmas, and they are a common sight on Christmas cards. According to folklore the robin scorched its breast at the nativity where it fanned the flames of a fire to keep the baby Jesus warm.

The ‘Twelve Days of Christmas’ is full of birds including seven swans, six geese, four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree. To avoid overcrowding, this case contains two turtle doves, a partridge and a robin.

Gallery

Turtle Doves (Streptopelia turtur)

Robin (Erithacus rubecula)

Red-legged Partridge (Alectoris rufa)

The Object of the Month can be seen in person throughout December at Leicester Museum & Art Gallery.