Eastern Yellow Robin

Scientific Name: Eopsaltria australis

Population Estimate: Unknown, but Least Concern status

Range / Habitat: Endemic to Australia where found in forested areas in the eastern part of the country.

Field Notes: Inquisitive, small passerine with round, grey head, grey body and yellow breast.

Personal Notes: Always a welcome site in the national parks in southeastern Australia.

Scarlet Robin

Scientific Name: Petroica boodang

Population Estimate: Unknown, but Least Concern status

Range / Habitat: Found in forest and savannah of southern Australia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Fiji, Vanuatu, and Samoa.

Field Notes: Small passerine with large round head, large eye, and small bill. Male with black head, back, wings, and tail. White patch above bill; white wing bars. Bright red chest patch on white belly. Female similar but with grey instead of black, less distinct wing bars, and dull orange chest patch. Flame Robin with smaller white patch above bill and chest patch extending up to neck. Rose Robin without white wing bars. Red-capped Robin with red patch above bill.

Personal Notes: Bright, welcome sight on our tour of southeastern Australia. This bird is considered a subspecies by some authors.

Tomtit

Scientific Name: Petroica macrocephala

Population Estimate: Unknown, but Least Concern status

Range / Habitat: Endemic to New Zealand where found in forest and scrub on both islands. 

Field Notes: Small bird with large head. Head, wings, upperparts black with sharp demarcation to white underparts at breast. Single white wingbar. New Zealand Robin with less demarcation to pale belly and no white wingbar.

Personal Notes: Seen at Boundary Stream "mainland island" reserve in the Hawke's Bay region. Maori name Miromiro on North Island, Ngiru-ngiru on South Island. 

New Zealand Robin

Scientific Name: Petroica australis

Population Estimate: Unknown, but Least Concern status

Range / Habitat: Endemic to New Zealand, found in forests of both islands, generally near streams.

Field Notes: Small, inquisitive bird with long legs and upright stance. Dark grey overall with white spot above bill and variable amount of white on the belly. Tomtit has a white wingbar and more white on the chest and belly with a sharp demarcation.

Personal Notes: One of our favorite New Zealand birds. We cannot stop taking pictures of them! Maori name is Toutouwai.