One could go on about names that do not always match appearance by reason of geographical variation. Examples are ‘Purple Swamphen’ (the ones here being just on the indigo side of blue) and the
sometimes yellow ‘Crimson Rosella’. From time to time the English Names Committee considers possible changes, but many people do not like changes for whatever reason.
If you use a global list for ticking purposes you might see ‘Flyrobin’ for some
Microeca ‘robins’. The committee considered that issue last year in reviewing names on the Australian list but decided after some debate to stay with ‘Flycatcher’ for
M. flavigaster.
From: Tony Lawson <>
Sent: Monday, 1 July 2019 6:53 PM
To: COG Chatline <>
Subject: [canberrabirds] 5 things you may or may not know about robins
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While we may think of robins as ‘Robin Red-breasts’, of the 20 species of robins that occur in Australia, only six have red (or shades thereof) on their breasts; just as many species of robins
have shades of yellow.
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The Lemon-bellied Flycatchers that live in Western Australia’s Kimberley have no yellow plumage at all — despite their name.
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Robins are among our most fastidious nest builders. Some bind the outsides of their nests with spider webs to make the surface smooth and neat, while others patiently add a coat of lichen and
moss to provide camouflage.
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Many species of robins pounce onto their food from a low perch, but Rose Robins feed more like fantails, sallying after flying insects in the air, fluttering acrobatically around shrubs and
the crowns of trees.
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The Eastern Yellow Robin is one of the first birds to begin calling in the dawn chorus, starting in the darkness, well before the sun comes up. Its scientific name means ‘dawn singer’.
