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Pink Robin
(Petroica rodinogaster)
: "Pink-breasted Robin", "Magenta-breasted Robin"
Size: 11.5-13 cm
Weight: 8-12 g
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Similar species |
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Physical description |
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Click here for a physical description
Pink Robins are small robins. Their plumage is dimorphic, i.e.
males and
females are different.
Male
Pink Robins have a conspicuous pink chest and belly.
The vent is white, the undertail is grey. The head, except
for a small white spot on the frons, throat and all
of the back, including the upperwings, are black. The bill
is black.
Female Pink Robins are almost entirely brown, with a very
faint pink tint on the chest. The wings are brown and dark
brownish-grey. Females have a brown bill.
Females
also have lighter, brownish-grey legs and feet than
males,
whose legs and feet are darker grey.
The irises of both sexes are dark.
Juveniles have cryptic
plumage that is
scalloped reddish-brown, with some darker brown on the wings.
Except for the scalloping they resemble
females.
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Twitcher's tip |
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Compared to Rose
Robins, Pink Robins have a somewhat darker front and a
black back.
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Taxonomy, classification |
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See Pink
Robin at Wikipedia .
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Range, habitat, finding this species |
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Click here for information on habitat
and range
The overall distribution of this species can be assessed based
on sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to
ebird.org
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The global distribution of the Pink Robin is available
HERE
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There are two races of Pink Robins, both of which are endemic to
Australia.
Nominate race "rodinogaster" is
found only in Tasmania and on some of the islands along Bass Strait.
Race "inexpectata"
populates the far south-eastern part of the Australian continent.
Their range extends from about Woollongong, NSW, inland to Canberra,
ACT, and southward from there, throughout the southern half of VIC,
and westward to the area around Adelaide, SA. Their core breeding
range is south-eastern VIC only.
Pink Robins have a preference for dense gullies of tall open
forest. During
the time of dispersal they venture into more open forest.
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Sightings |
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Click here for sighting information
Race "rodinogaster"
D. Wilczynska reports spotting a male Pink Robin, race "rodinogaster",
at Liffey Falls, 30 km South of Deloraine, on the edge of
forest on the
central plateau, TAS, in March 2015.
Race "inexpectata"
R. Plumtree reports
spotting a male Pink Robin, race "inexpectata", along
Mellick Munjie Road, NNW of Buchan, East Gippsland, VIC, in May 2014.
Another Pink Robin, race "inexpectata",
was found by R. Plumtree
at Great Otway NP, VIC, in September 2018. More sightings
of the species at the same location followed in May 2019 and
in September 2019.
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Photos |
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Race "rodinogaster"
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ADULT |
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MALE |
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Frontal view of a male Pink Robin (photo courtesy of D.
Wilczynska)
[Liffey Falls, 30 km South of Deloraine, TAS, March 2015]
Near-frontal view of a male Pink Robin (photo courtesy of D.
Wilczynska)
[Liffey Falls, 30 km South of Deloraine, TAS, March 2015]
Lateral view of a male Pink Robin eye-balling its "opponent" in the
mirror (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Liffey Falls, 30 km South of Deloraine, TAS, March 2015]
Partly obscured lateral view of a male Pink Robin (photo courtesy of D.
Wilczynska)
[Liffey Falls, 30 km South of Deloraine, TAS, March 2015]
This photo, with two reflections, offers various views of the same
male Pink Robin (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Liffey Falls, 30 km South of Deloraine, TAS, March 2015]
Race "inexpectata"
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ADULT |
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MALE |
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Frontal view of a male Pink Robin (photo courtesy of
R. Plumtree)
[Near Buchan, East Gippsland, VIC, May 2014]
Near-lateral view of a male Pink Robin (photo courtesy of
R. Plumtree)
[Great Otway NP, VIC, September 2018]
Lateral view of a male Pink Robin (photo courtesy of
R. Plumtree)
[Great Otway NP, VIC, September 2019]
Lateral view of a male Pink Robin (photo courtesy of
R. Plumtree)
[Great Otway NP, VIC, September 2018]
Dorsal view of the same male Pink Robin as shown above (photo
courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Near Buchan, East Gippsland, VIC, May 2014]
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FEMALE |
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Lateral view of a female Pink Robin; note the characteristic
rufous wing bars
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Great Otway NP, VIC, May 2019]
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Food, Diet |
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Lateral view of a female Pink Robin with its prey, a moth or
butterfly (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Great Otway NP, VIC, May 2019]
Lateral view of a female Pink Robin swallowing its prey
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Great Otway NP, VIC, May 2019]
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.