Rose Robin

1. Males have a rose-pink breast, slate-grey upperparts, and a white belly with a small white forehead spot.

2. Both sexes display white outer tail feathers, most obvious in flight or when fanning the tail.

3. Often droop and quiver their wings while perched.

Rose Robins are insectivores, feeding on a variety of small arthropods such as beetles, flies, moths, and spiders. They hunt by perching quietly and watching for movement, then sallying out to catch prey mid-air or gleaning from foliage. Unlike many other robins, they rarely forage on the ground and spend most of their time in the mid to upper forest layers. Breeding occurs from September to January. The female builds a neat, deep cup nest from moss, bark, and spider webs, typically placed high in tree forks or among vines. Clutches usually contain 2-3 eggs, and both parents feed the nestlings. Rose Robins may be parasitized by cuckoos.

Rose Robins inhabit wet sclerophyll forests, rainforests, and densely vegetated gullies from southeast Queensland through eastern New South Wales, Victoria, and into southeastern South Australia, but not Tasmania. During the breeding season, they are found at higher elevations in cool, wet forests. In winter, many move to lower altitudes or coastal forests, and some may travel northward. They typically forage in the mid-story, between 2–5 meters above ground, making them a challenge to spot among foliage. Their sweet, soft trilling song and habit of joining mixed-species feeding flocks can help birdwatchers locate them`.`