Tomtit

Petroica macrocephala

Photo by Glenda Rees (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
tomtit (en); rouxinol-maori (pt); miro mésange (fr); petroica carbonera (es); Maorischnäpper (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Petroicidae

Range:
This species is endemic to New Zealand, being found in both the North and South islands, as well as several of the outlying island, including the Chatham islands and the Aukland islands and the Snares.

Size:
These birds are 13 cm long and weigh 11-20 g.

Habitat:
The tomtit is mostly found in temperate forests,but also in grasslands, arable land, plantations and within urban areas.

Diet:
They are mostly insectivorous, taking beetles, caterpillars, moths, wetas, flies, but also spiders, earthworms and some fruits, especially during autumn and winter.

Breeding:
Tomtits breed in September-January. The female builds the nest alone, consisting of a cup made of twigs, bark, moss and sometimes also dry leaves, lichens and spider webs. The nest is lined with moss and feathers and placed in a vine tangle, hollow branch, cavity in a trunk or stump or less often among scrubs, 0,5-8 m above the ground. They also use nest boxes. The female lays 2-4 white eggs with brown and grey spots and blotches, which she incubates alone for 17 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 17-21 days after hatching, but continue to receive food from the parents for another 3-4 weeks.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a large breeding range and is described as locally common. The population is suspected to be in decline owing to predation pressure from introduced species

Scarlet robin

Petroica multicolor

Photo by Kevin Agar (Flickr)

Common name:
scarlet robin (en); rouxinol-escarlate (pt); miro écarlate (fr); petroica escarlata (es); Australienscharlachschnäpper (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Petroicidae

Range:
This species is found in south-eastern and south-western Australia, in Tasmania and Norfolk island, and in Fiji, Samoa, Solomon islands, Vanuatu and the Bougainville islands of Papua-New Guinea.

Size:
These birds are 12-13,5 cm long and weigh 12-14 g.

Habitat:
The scarlet robin is mostly found in dry forests and savannas, namely Eucalyptus stands, but also in moist tropical forests, rural areas, plantations and within urban areas.

Diet:
They mainly feed on insects and other arthropods, namely Coleoptera, Collembola, Diptera, Hemiptera, Lepidoptera, Orthoptera, Pseudoscorpionida and Araneae.

Breeding:
Scarlet robins breed in August-March. The female builds the nest alone, a neat cup made of spider webs, fine bark, moss and grass, lined with fine bark, fur, feathers and hairs. It is placed in a tree or sometimes in a scrub, 2-14 m above the ground. The female lays 1-4 pale blue, green or grey eggs with olive-brown splotches, which are incubated for 15-18 days. The chicks fledge 15-17 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a large breeding range and is reported to be locally fairly common. The population is estimated to be in decline following a possible range contraction owing to habitat loss, as well as predation pressure from introduced species such as cats and black rats Rattus rattus.

Red-capped robin

Petroica goodenovii

(Photo from Bird Watching Magazine)

Common name:
red-capped robin (en); rouxinol-de-testa-vermelha (pt); miro à front rouge (fr); petroica frentirroja (es); rotstirnschnäpper (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Petroicidae


Range:
This species is endemic to Australia, being found throughout most of the country, with the exception of Tasmania and the northernmost areas of Queensland, of the Northern Territories and of Western Australia.


Size:
The red-capped robin is 10,5-12,5 cm long and has a wingspan of 15-19,5 cm. They weigh 7-9 g.


Habitat:
These birds are found in most inland habitats that have tall trees or scrubs, such as Eucalyptus, Acacia or cypress pine woodlands, particularly in arid and semi-arid areas. They can also be found in coastal areas, orchards and sometimes gardens.


Diet:
They hunt various arthropods, either on the ground or in low scrubs. They are known to take grasshoppers, butterflies and moths, caterpillars, dragonflies, damselflies, mantids, antlions, bugs, beetles, earwigs, flies and spiders.


Breeding:
Red-capped robins breed in June-January. The female builds the nest, an open cup made of bark, grass, and rootlets, bound together with spider web, lined with soft materials and often camoflaged with lichen, bark and mosses. The nest is placed on a fork in a tree. The female lays 2-3 white eggs with brown blotches, which she incubates alone for 13-15 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 13-15 days after hatching. Each pair may raise 1-3 broods per season.


Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is reported to be frequently quite common. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.