move involuntarily" should not be lost sight of. The construction "red-twitcher" certainly characterizes the well-known vibration of the bird's tail.
Robin is simply a familiar form of Robert (cf. mag-pie, jack-daw, and martin). A possible connection with ruby has been suggested, but this is unlikely.
Nightingale = Anglo-Saxon nihte-galle, "the singer of the night."
Dipper. This may either mean "the bird that dives for a short time" (dips), or it has reference more probably to the peculiar dipping "bob" of the bird while standing on a stone in mid-stream.
Titmouse; spelt by Spenser, titmose. Both tit (cf. tit-lark) and mouse have the same meaning, viz. "small." The proper plural of the word is therefore titmouses—mouse, in this case, having no connection with the rodent of that name. In Suffolk the plural titmousen is still used.
Nuthatch = nut-hacker.
Oriole = the golden bird (Latin, aureolus).
Swallow may possibly mean "the tosser about" or "mover to and fro," allied to the Greek σαλευειν, to shake. On the other hand, the Teutonic name, swalgwon, points to a possible connection with ἁλκυὠν, "a kingfisher," owing perhaps to the appearance of the Swallow during the fine weather of the "Halcyon days."
Finch is probably imitative of the Chaffinch's call-note—a bird common all over Europe; but it is possibly a variation of the German fink, "smart" or "gay."
Sparrow = the flutterer, from a root spar, to quiver. It is, however, not improbable that spar may here have its meaning of "to wrangle," in reference to the constant bickerings of these birds.
Linnet, so called from its fondness for the seeds of linum, flax or hemp.
Bunting probably means "the little speckled bird," from the German bunt, "speckled," + ing, a diminute ending. There is, however, some possibility of its connection with a Lowland Scotch word, buntin, meaning "short and thick." In Scotland bunt is still used for a rabbit's "scut."
