White-browed Robin

1. Broad white eyebrow (supercilium) stands out against a darker face

2. White tips to tail feathers create a clear pattern when tail is spread

3. Upright, cocked tail and Y-shaped white wingbar are distinctive

White-browed Robins feed mostly on insects, hunting by pouncing from perches to the ground and sometimes foraging in foliage or catching insects in flight. They breed from August or September through to February or March, building neat cup-shaped nests from bark, grass, and spider webs, often decorated with lichen or bark bits, placed a few metres above the ground in a tree fork or hanging vine. Females lay 1-2 eggs per clutch. Unlike some other robins, they breed as solitary pairs and do not have helpers. These birds are remarkably sedentarybanded individuals have been recorded staying within the same small area for years.

White-browed Robins are found in rainforests and nearby habitats in northeastern Queensland, from Cape York Peninsula south to the Mackay region. They prefer rainforest edges, creek lines with thick vegetation, vine thickets, and tea-tree swamps. These robins stay low or mid-level in dense foliage, making them tricky to spot, but their upright tail and bold eyebrow can give them away. Early morning is the best time to find them, as they are most active and vocal, often heard giving a rapid three-note “zap-zap-zap” call or a melodious whistle.