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19

Dusky Robin (Melanodryas vittata) Alternate name(s): "Dozey", "Dozey Robin", "Stump Robin", "Wood Robin", "Tasmanian Robin", "Sleepy Robin", "Sad bird"; misnomer: "Native Sparrow" Size: 16-17 cm Weight: 21-31 g

Australia: Family Group 19 Family Group 19 Table Southern Scrub-robin Northern Scrub-robin Hooded Robin Dusky Robin Rose Robin Pink Robin Flame Robin Scarlet Robin Norfolk Robin Red-capped Robin Grey-headed Robin White-browed Robin Buff-sided Robin Mangrove Robin White-breasted Robin Western Yellow Robin Eastern Yellow Robin Pale-yellow Robin White-faced Robin Yellow-legged Flycatcher Lemon-bellied Flycatcher Jacky Winter Logrunner Chowchilla White-browed Babbler Hall's Babbler Grey-crowned Babbler Chestnut-crowned Babbler Thumbnails page Family group table Index of bird names Habitat pages Key plants Birds home page

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description Dusky Robins are large robins that are almost all-grey (the brownish tinge shown in drawings in parts of the literature is often exaggerated). The front, from chin to undertail coverts, is light-grey, while the head and back (nape of the neck, mantle, rump) is mid-grey. The flight feathers and the tail, both of which have thin white lining at the tips, are dark-grey. Any trace of brown in adult Dusky Robins is minute and usually limited to the cap and nape of the neck. The irises are dark-brown. The bill, legs and feet are dark-grey. Juvenile Dusky Robins have highly cryptic plumage. Juvenile birds are brownish-grey, with more brown on the head and back/wings than on the front, and some remnant light-grey streaking on the head and nape of the neck. Their flight feathers have broader white tips than those of adult birds. Juvenile and fledgling Dusky Robins are grey-brown, with a strong brown tinge and lighter grey streaking on the back. The front is scalloped grey-brown. The belly is off-white with only some darker streaking. They also still show an orange-yellow gape.

Taxonomy, classification See Dusky Robin at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the Dusky Robin is available HERE . There are two races of Dusky Robins, both of which are endemic to Tasmania and other islands along Bass Strait. Nominate race "vittata" is found basically everywhere in Tasmania, except the highest peaks of the central highlands, near the watershed, where they go only occasionally. Race "vittata" also populates Flinders Island and Cape Barren Island, to the North-east of Tasmania, the three small islands near the north-western tip of Tasmania (Hunter, Three Hummock, Robbins Island), and all the small islands along Tasmania's South-east coast. Race "kingi" resides only on King Island. Dusky Robins live in open forest, woodland and scrub, often near the edges towards open country.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "vittata" B. Hensen reports spotting Dusky Robins, race "vittata", on Bruny Island, TAS, in March 2016. page has kindly been contributed by B. Hensen. M. Eaton found Dusky Robins, race "vittata", at Margate, Kingborough, TAS, in September 2021.

Photos

Race "vittata"

ADULT

PAIR

Pair of Dusky Robins (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Margate, Kingborough, TAS, September 2021]

Sex unknown

Frontal view of a Dusky Robin looking sideways (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Margate, Kingborough, TAS, September 2021]

Near-frontal view of a Dusky Robin (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Margate, Kingborough, TAS, September 2021]

Near-frontal/ventral view of a Dusky Robin (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Margate, Kingborough, TAS, September 2021]

Near-lateral view of a Dusky Robin looking towards the observer (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Margate, Kingborough, TAS, September 2021]

Near-lateral/ventral view of a Dusky Robin (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Margate, Kingborough, TAS, September 2021]

Lateral view of a Dusky Robin (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Margate, Kingborough, TAS, September 2021]

Lateral view of a Dusky Robin (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Margate, Kingborough, TAS, September 2021]

Lateral view of a Dusky Robin (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Bruny Island, TAS, March 2016]

Near-dorsal view of a Dusky Robin (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Bruny Island, TAS, March 2016]

Near-dorsal view of a Dusky Robin (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Margate, Kingborough, TAS, September 2021]

Dorsal view of a Dusky Robin (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Margate, Kingborough, TAS, September 2021]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Lateral view of a juvenile Dusky Robin on the ground (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Bruny Island, TAS, March 2016]

Near-dorsal view of a juvenile Dusky Robin (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Bruny Island, TAS, March 2016]

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

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Disclaimer: Comments are always welcome. We give no guarantee that the information presented on these pages is always correct or up-to-date. External links are marked as such and we take no responsibility for the contents of external pages. All images on this site are protected by copyright & used by permission of the respective owners. If you wish to reproduce them or any of the material presented on this web site, please contact us: We hereby acknowledge the original custodians of the land which is described on these pages, including the Gomeroi/Gamilaraay people of the North-west Slopes and Plains of NSW, and the traditional owners of other lands and nations within this country. We acknowledge elders past, present and emerging. Sovereignty was never ceded.          Last updated: Sun, 3 October 2021, 7:24 +00:00