Scarlet Robin (Petroica boodang)
Description
- The Scarlet Robin is a small bird which grows to 12-14 cm long and averages 13 g in weight.
- Adult males have bold red, black and white feathers.
- Adult females and young birds are brownish with a red and orange wash on its chest.
- Like other species living in woodlands, the Scarlet Robin population is declining in the ACT.
- It builds open nests leaving them open to predators such as the Pied Currawong.
Find out more about the Scarlet Robin on Canberra NatureMapr.
Where are they
In the ACT, it is typically found in dry open forests and woodlands with a shrubby understory, course woody debris and native grasses.
Conservation threats
A major threat to Scarlet Robins is habitat loss and degradation. Removing key habitat elements, such as course woody debris, greatly affects the Scarlet Robin's ability to survive and reproduce.
These birds rely on woodlands:
- with complex understories for nesting materials
- for foraging opportunities
- for help avoiding predators and competitors.
They have poor nesting success in habitats where they can't be hidden among the vegetation.
Scarlet Robins need wildlife corridors to safely move between patches of habitat. The loss of these corridors in urban areas is likely to have negative impacts on Scarlet Robin populations.
Conservation status
- Australian Capital Territory – Vulnerable (Nature Conservation Act 2014).
- New South Wales – Vulnerable (Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016).
Conservation actions
Conservation actions aim to:
- identify, protecting and restoring foraging and breeding habitat
- find, protect, and fix up places where Scarlet Robins make nests and find food
- study and help with counting, watching, and studying them
- enhance wildlife corridors to allow movement between habitats
- increase community awareness of managing Scarlet Robin as a vulnerable species.