Yes Julian, as you suspected. At Campbell Park and described in Canberra Bird Notes December 2014. I think the beginning of such behaviour was reported in
a subsequent year.
From: Julian
Robinson [
Sent: Thursday, 1 February 2018 9:05 AM
To: canberrabirds chatline
Subject: [canberrabirds] Two brown robins nesting
In the South East Forest NP on the weekend we were surprised at morning tea to see two brown robins attending a nest. Probably this has been discussed before, if so I don’t remember it and resolution was required
… a) Subsequent inspection of the photos showed a tiny speck of scarlet on the side of one bird (the orangey red of a male Flame Robin), and b) HANZAB says of the Flame Robin
“male often breeds before attaining adult plumage”.
So another thing learned. Other notes: The nest was about 7m agl; the parents looked dishevelled so possibly finding the going tough; there were chicks in the nest rather than eggs (given parents were bringing food, although we never saw any nestlings); the
female was the only one who actually sat on the chicks (HANZAB says only the female broods the eggs but doesn’t mention behaviour with nestlings); and despite not sitting, the male was constantly busy with bringing food or often, for long periods, looking
concerned into the nest.
The red spot on the male in attached pic is rendered almost invisible by the compression required which I hope will fit image within chatline size limit, otherwise several pics in more detail are here:
www.flickr.com/photos/ozjulian/
Julian
