Our Latest News

Planned burn at Cosy Corner, Bay of Fires Conservation Area, 8 & 9 May

08/05/2012

PWS is today (Tuesday 8 May) conducting a fuel reduction burn in the Bay of Fires Conservation Area south of St Helens at the Cosy Corner North campground.More

Fresh hunting team heads to Macquarie Island

13/04/2012

A fresh hunting team will join an Australian Antarctic Division resupply voyage to Macquarie Island next week to continue efforts in one of the world's largest island pest eradication projects.More

Fuel reduction burns near Hobart and around the state

03/04/2012

The Parks and Wildlife Service (PWS) has advised that small and large planned burns are taking place around the state this week while weather conditions are suitable.More

Dusky Robin, Melanodryas vittata

Dusky Robin
Dusky Robin
(Photo by Dave Watts)

Description

The endemic Dusky Robin is dark olive-brown above and a lighter grey-white below. The wing  has a narrow white shoulder.

Juveniles have grey plumage flecked with white.

Habitat

The Dusky Robin occurs in open eucalypt forest, woodland and coastal heath throughout Tasmania. A subspecies of this bird is confined to King Island.

It can often be seen sitting on stumps and fence posts; indeed, this practice earned the bird the name "stump robin" by early settlers.

Diet

The Dusky Robin drops silently from its perch to the ground to catch insects.

Breeding

It breeds in early spring, laying 3-4 spotted, pale green eggs. The nest is cup-shaped, lined with bark and grass.

Call

Its call is an undulating "pre-pree".
Distribution Map courtesy Natural Values Atlas, data from theLIST
© 2010 State of Tasmania



Distribution

Found only in Tasmania, the Dusky Robin occurs in suitable habitat throughout the island.