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19

Mangrove Robin (Peneonanthe [Eopsaltria] pulverulenta) Alternate name(s): "Ashy Robin", "Mangrove Shrike-robin", "White-tailed Robin" Size: 15-16.5 cm Body mass: 18-24 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

Similar species

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

Physical description Click here for a physical description Mangove Robins are large robins. They have a white throat and otherwise light-grey front, from the breast down to the undertail coverts. The top of the head, to just under the eyes, is very dark grey; the nape of the neck and the rest of the back is also dark-grey, but - except for the flight feathers - a bit lighter than the crown. The tail is also dark-grey. The eyes have dark irises; the bill, legs and feet are all dark-grey. The shades of grey on the head and back depend on race. Race "leucura" has the lightest grey, "cinereiceps" is ash-grey, with race "alligator" being the darkest grey of all. Juveniles have a mottled brown front and a dark grey-brown back heavily streaked with lighter grey. Immature Mangrove Robins retain juvenile tertials for a while, which have off-white tips and a brownish tinge.

Taxonomy, classification See Mangrove 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 Mangrove Robin is available HERE . Mangrove Robins can be found in parts of eastern Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and along the tropical coastal fringe of Australia. In Australia there are three races of Mangrove Robins. Endemic race "cinereiceps" populates a narrow coastal margin along the Pilbara and the Kimberley in WA (but not the area of Eighty Mile Beach in between). Endemic race "alligator" is found along the coastal fringe of the NT, from the border with WA to the south-western part of the Gulf of Carpentaria. Race "leucura" occurs only in QLD, from about the border with the NT, along Cape York peninsula and down the tropical East coast, down to about the tropic of Capricorn. As indicated by their name, Mangrove Robins have a strong preference for mangroves.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "leucura" M. Eaton reports spotting a Mangrove Robin, race "leucura", at the Esplanade, Cairns, QLD, in December 2018. Race "alligator" B. Hensen reports spotting Mangrove Robins, race "alligator", at Leanyer Swamp, Darwin, NT, in July 2012. H. Mouritsen reports spotting Mangrove Robins, race "alligator", in Darwin, NT, in October 2015. P. Brown reports spotting a Mangrove Robin, race "alligator", semi-regularly in various locations in and around Darwin, NT. M. Eaton found a Mangrove Robin, race "alligator", at East Point, Darwin, NT, in August 2020.

Photos

Race "leucura"

ADULT

Near-frontal view of a Mangrove Robin (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Esplanade, Cairns, QLD, December 2018]

Near-frontal view of a Mangrove Robin (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Esplanade, Cairns, QLD, December 2018]

Race "alligator"

ADULT

PAIR

Frontal/lateral view of a pair of Mangrove Robins (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Ludmilla Creek, Darwin, NT, June 2021]

Lateral view of a pair of Mangrove Robins; based on behaviour, the bird at the top may be the male - these are the birds whose calls were recorded on 20 November 2020 (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Elizabeth River Boat Ramp, near Palmerston, NT, November 2020]

Near-frontal view of a Mangrove Robin (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Rapid Creek, Darwin, NT, January 2021]

Near-lateral view of a Mangrove Robin (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[East Point, Darwin, NT, August 2020]

Lateral view of a Mangrove Robin - this is the bird whose calls were recorded on 9 July 2020 (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Leanyer Ponds, Darwin, NT, July 2020]

Lateral view of a Mangrove Robin (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Leanyer Swamp, Darwin, NT, July 2012]

Lateral view of a Mangrove Robin (photo courtesy of H. Mouritsen)
[Darwin, NT, October 2015]

Near-dorsal view of a Mangrove Robin (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Elizabeth River Boat Ramp, near Palmerston, NT, November 2020]

Dorsal view of a Mangrove Robin (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[East Point, Darwin, NT, August 2020]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Pair of Mangrove Robins with a juvenile in the middle; note the brownish tertials with off-white tips; the bird also has a pale-yellow gape (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Ludmilla Creek, Darwin, NT, February 2022]

Behaviour

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

More Mangrove Robin sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

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.