Rose Robin
Scientific Name: Petroica rosea
Size: around 11 cm
What does it look and sound like?
The plumage is pink below, grey above and with white sections on the outer tail feathers. The female is paler than the male and the young are brownish. The Pink Robin Petroica rodinogaster, which overlaps in range with the Rose Robin in the south, is darker above and has paler pink on the undersurface, which also extends to the lower belly. The call is a soft trill, rising in pitch and volume towards the end of each phrase.
Where is it found?
The Rose Robin is found from south-eastern Qld, through eastern NSW and all bar the north-west of Vic to south-eastern SA.
What are its habitats & habits?
The Rose Robin is an inhabitant of moist forests, where it feeds on insects, which are either pursued and caught in flight or gleaned from foliage. The Rose Robin is an active feeder, seldom staying in one place for very long. Individuals often hold out their wings and fan their tail, making them look more like a fantail than a robin.
The nest is a compact cup made of green moss and twigs and lined with fur and soft plant material; and camouflages with lichen. It is placed towards the outer end of a branch or in a tree fork. The female incubates the eggs and both sexes feed the young. Three broods can be raised in a single season.
Interesting facts
The nests of the Rose Robin may be parasitised by cuckoos, including theBrush Cuckoo (Cacomantis variolosus), Pallid Cuckoo (Cuculus pallidus) and the Horsfield’s Bronze-Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx basalis).
This species features in my book Australia’s Birdwatching Megaspots
