Australia

Most people think of robins and immediately recall the familiar European Robin (Erithacus rubecula), ubiquitous in gardens, Christmas cards and fairy-tales alike. North Americans are proud to have ‘their own’ robin species, the larger American Robin (Turdus migratorius). Australians, too, can proudly assert their own “robin redbreasts”, but few realise that the uniting factor behind all of these species (the red breast) is entirely superficial. Nor do many realise that Australia’s robin fauna extends far beyond red-breasted species.

Australian robins, in fact, belong to their own family, generically called Australasian robins (Petroicidae). While there is still debate as to their exact evolutionary relationships, consensus is that petroicids are very distantly related to the Northern Hemisphere robins. The family contains 49 species distributed widely throughout the Oceania region, of which 20 are found in Australian territory. Australia recently (April 2016) gained a ‘new’ species, when DNA and morphometric analysis found that the Norfolk Island Robin, hitherto recognised as a race of the Pacific Robin (Petroica multicolor), was in fact a separate species.

Flame Robin (M); Mt Ainslie Nature Reserve, ACT (ML31484481, Checklist S30799153)

The most familiar Australian robins are, inevitably, the ‘red robins’. South-easterners recognise both Scarlet and Flame Robins (P. boodang & P. phoenicea) as iconic members of their local avifauna, while inland Australians celebrate the Red-capped Robin (P. goodenovii). There are also two “pink” robins, the Pink and Rose Robins (P. rodinogaster & P. rosea). The Eastern Yellow Robin (Eopsaltria australis) may be the most familiar of the “yellow robins,” regarded as a quirk of Australian birdlife; fewer know that there are six other species (across three genera) in Australia with yellow breasts, meaning Australia actually has more “yellow robins” than it does “red robins.”

Eastern Yellow Robin; Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve–Sanctuary, ACT (ML32782111, Checklist S30799181)

When one considers the ready association with the word ‘robin’ with such vibrant colours, it is often hard to square with the reality that many Australian species, like the Jacky Winter (Microeca fascinans), Dusky Robin (Melanodryas vittata) and White-breasted Robin (E. georgiana), are in fact quite dull. The fact that it is often only adult males that show the bright colours, with female and immature “red” and “pink” robins in particular highly resembling one another, further complicates ID, making Australian robins a significant challenge for even experienced birders. The most recent eBird update allows for an entry of Petroica sp. to account for difficult “brown” robins, though careful consultation of field guides for plumage markers and distributions should help narrow down most birds to within a couple of closely-related species.

Rose Robin (F); Gold Creek Reservoir, QLD

The period between autumn and spring has meant a rise in encounters by east-coast Australians with robins, as several species migrate locally. Most notably, Pink Robins disperse widely across Victoria, southeastern SA and southern NSW, while Rose Robins move towards the coast in the southeast of their range. During this time, birds, particularly young ones, may be seen away from their usual woodland habitat and are often recorded in suburban parklands and even people’s gardens. Records of such individuals are important in helping scientists understand the dispersal and habitat usage behaviour of these charming birds.

~contributed by Russell’ Yong