Thanks for the inputs. Agree with female Hooded Robin, though it didn’t behave like one. When we first saw it, it was flying from the top of one tree to the top of another – the highest point
in the area – unlike its usual tendency to stay on low branches. When perched it held itself long and lean with head up so at that distance we thought triller. I walked some distance to get another view and never saw wing bars or any other pattern (which
at the time I thought would have been visible for either robin or triller, but looking again at the photos, maybe not). The beak seemed straight and long with no curve on top like a robin. The photos added more doubt because they clearly show significant
white under-tail tips which my books don’t show for the robin, except a suggestion on top of tail of adult male. The only thing I was sure of is that it wasn’t a Jacky Winter because we would be able to see white tail edges in the photos. Thanks again for
all replies.
From: Philip Veerman [
Sent: Wednesday, 1 May 2019 11:39 AM
To: 'Steve Read'; 'Canberra birds';
Subject: RE: [canberrabirds] ID please near Hillston
I am confident that Steve is correct. Also, as for not Jacky Winter, this one is too grey, rather than brown and outer tail not white.
Philip
From: Steve Read [
Sent: Wednesday, 1 May, 2019 6:28 AM
To: 'Canberra birds'
Subject: RE: [canberrabirds] ID please near Hillston
Good morning Julian – immediate reaction (from both Lach and myself) is a female Hooded Robin in a pose that isn’t showing its wing bars. Jizz/posture suggests not Jacky
Winter. Reminds me of a bird that we saw north of Leeton a few years ago, briefly on top of a shrub before it flew – Lach took a picture and posted it to the Australian Bird Identification Facebook page, and the consensus there was Hooded Robin.
Steve
From: Julian Robinson <>
Sent: Wednesday, 1 May 2019 12:16 AM
To: canberrabirds chatline <>
Subject: [canberrabirds] ID please near Hillston
Sorry about the extra Degree of Difficulty … photo now included.
Does anyone have any thoughts on this bird that Sue L and I saw at Langtree Reserve south of Hillston last week? At first we thought triller (about that size) until it thickened up and we saw the photo.
Julian
www.flickr.com/photos/ozjulian/
