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Stewart Island Robin
Toutouwai
Petroica australis rakiura
Robins have a white "chevron" over bill, which opens
markedly when distressed or randy. Male ...head, neck and
side of body sooty grey, breast & belly white. Female
plumage generally more muted. Nests on or close to the
forest floor and so very vulnerable to rats and cats.
Apart from areas of large growth manuka forest where nesting seems successful, in heavy forest most if not all nests fail. I have seen one robin on mainland Stewart Island heavy forest in the last 14 years.
Robin males are very territorial and will drive other males from their "patch".
In a good year some may nest twice, but equally if nests are destroyed in a storm a pair does often seem to lose interest.
They are very common on Ulva and tame and will appear around people. Will come to disturbed forest litter. While normally insectivorous they will take fruit/similar if fed. Fighting males are often targeted by Bellbirds who attempt to break up the squabble.
All birds on Ulva are tagged as part of an ongoing research program
Size 180 mm
Apart from areas of large growth manuka forest where nesting seems successful, in heavy forest most if not all nests fail. I have seen one robin on mainland Stewart Island heavy forest in the last 14 years.
Robin males are very territorial and will drive other males from their "patch".
In a good year some may nest twice, but equally if nests are destroyed in a storm a pair does often seem to lose interest.
They are very common on Ulva and tame and will appear around people. Will come to disturbed forest litter. While normally insectivorous they will take fruit/similar if fed. Fighting males are often targeted by Bellbirds who attempt to break up the squabble.
All birds on Ulva are tagged as part of an ongoing research program
Size 180 mm
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Angry Robin. Robin males aggressively defend their territories and their aggression calls are often heard. |
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Courting Robins. |
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Robin Pair. |
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Territorial Robin Calls. |
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Fledgling begging. Gradually the parents lose interest in their young and are less and less inclined to feed them, although the begging will persist for weeks afterwards. |
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Pair Feeding. The calls heard seem to be a feeding chatter |
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Parent Feeding. Parents will take a few bugs themselves, and then fill their beak for the young in the nest. |
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Males Fighting. Most fight are like this, more show than substance, but occasionally they do have knock "em down and drag 'em out affairs |
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photos on this site courtesy
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