Thanks to everyone who sent me emails about my robin query.
A couple of people have told me about quite red female Red-capped Robins,
but usually only as one-off i.e. very exceptional, sightings. Glen White
mentioned a very red female in Victoria. Colin Scouler referred to an
article by Danny Rogers in Wingspan in which he observed of female and
immature red-caps that "Some individuals with reddish caps have a peach red
wash on upper breast; this can be as strong as in some Scarlets but is
usually faint"
Thanks to Colin Dollery who mentioned that where they are common, at
Charleville, he sometimes sees females with slight rusty washes to the
breast. Concerning the cap Colin, the thing that triggered my enquiry was
that I didn't get a look at the cap or the frons, but saw only the bright
breast and big wingbars on an otherwise brownish robin.
Regarding incidence, several others have said that they have never seen a
red female.
A useful tip from Michael Norris: "On Scarlet Robin females the tiny
pale/white line at the tertials is diagnostic."
So whereas I haven't been striving to make a retrospective ID on the bird
that has flown, I do feel better prepared for the next coloured up female if
and when one turns up!
Thanks again to everyone who took the trouble to drop a line.
Bill Jolly
"Abberton",
Lockyer Valley, Queensland.
Visit our website at http://www.abberton.org <http://www.abberton.org/>
Email: <>
Ph: (+61) 7 4697 6111 Fax: (+61) 7 4697 6056
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