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Australian Wildlife

  Dusky Robin (Melanodryas vittata)





Dusky Robin | Melanodryas vittata photo
Dusky Robin (Melanodryas vittata), Bruny Island, Tasmania, Australia

Image by Noodle snacks (http://www.noodlesnacks.com/) - Some rights reserved.    (view image details)

Dusky Robin | Melanodryas vittata photo
Dusky Robin (Melanodryas vittata), Bruny Island, Tasmania, Australia

Image by Noodle snacks (http://www.noodlesnacks.com/) - Some rights reserved.    (view image details)







DUSKY ROBIN FACTS

Description
A medium to large endemic Tasmanian robin with a short slender bill and a long square tail. Juvenile birds are very different from adults having streaked off-white and brown plumage.

Builds a nest of leaves, twigs, bark and fern fronds bound with spider web often in a crevice or ledge in hollow eucalypt trunk or behind loose bark. Usually lays three eggs, which are incubated by the female who is fed by the male bird. Much larger than other Tasmanian robins.

Author credit: Kathryn Medlock / Tasmanian Museum & Art Gallery

Habitat
Occurs in open forest habitats; prefers dryer forests and areas with some clearing; often seen in farmland, along firebreaks and picnic areas as well as gardens.

Food
Omnivore

Range
Tasmania

distribution map showing range of Melanodryas vittata in Australia

Credits:
Map is from Atlas of Living Australia website at https://biocache.ala.org.au licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.


Species Description is from Museums Field Guide, Atlas of Living Australia at website at https://lists.ala.org.au Licensed under Creative Commons Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.




Classification
Class:Aves
Order:Passeriformes
Family:Petroicidae
Genus:Melanodryas
Species:vittata
Common Name:Dusky Robin

Relatives in same Genus
  Hooded Robin (M. cucullata)