Scarlet Robin

1. Males have a scarlet breast, glossy black upperparts, and a large white forehead spot.

2. Both sexes show prominent white wing panels and partially white outer tail feathers.

3. Females are grey-brown with a pale orange to reddish breast and a white forehead spot; juveniles are streakier and lack the reddish wash.

Scarlet Robins are primarily insectivores, adjusting their foraging with the seasonsspending more time on the ground in winter and foraging higher in trees during summer and spring. They are monogamous and territorial, with females building cup-shaped nests decorated with lichen and moss, typically placed below 6 metres in tree forks. Breeding occurs from July to February, with clutch sizes usually between one and four eggs. Both parents feed the young, and the post-fledging dependence period lasts about six weeks. Scarlet Robins are vulnerable to habitat loss, predation, and fragmentation.

Scarlet Robins inhabit eucalypt forests and woodlands with open, grassy or shrubby understories, from sea level up to 1, metres. They are found from southern Queensland through New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, and southwest Western Australia. In winter, some move to more open habitats such as farmland, parks, and even urban gardens. They are most often seen perched low, less than a metre above the ground, from which they pounce on insect prey. Their clear whistling “wee-cheedalee-dalee” song and sharp “chip” call are helpful for locating them.