Colours
Distinguishing features
Males and females are of similar size. It has longer legs than the other robins of the genus Red-capped Robin. The male has a distinctive scarlet cap and breast. Its upperparts are jet black with white shoulder bars, and its tail black with white tips. The underparts and shoulder are white. All colours are sharply delineated from one another.
The female is an undistinguished grey-brown above with a reddish tint to the crown, and paler underneath with dark brown wings and pale buff wing patch. Some females have a reddish tint to the breast. Both sexes have a small black bill, and dark brown eyes and legs.
Immature birds initially resemble the female; it is only with their second moult, which takes place at around or just over a year of age that males adopt their distinctive adult plumage. (Wikipedia)
Size
- From 10.5 cm to 12.5 cm (Length of specimen)
Wingspan
- From 15 cm to 19.5 cm
Synonyms
Distribution
©Atlas of Living Australia: Australian distribution: Red-capped Robin (Petroica (Petroica) goodenovii)
Distribution and habitat preferences
The Red-capped Robin is found across Australia except for Tasmania, Cape York, the Top End and most of the Kimberley (there have been occasional sitings in the southernmost parts).
It prefers more arid habitat than its relatives, and inhabits dryer areas. Its preferred habitat is dry Acacia, Callitris or mixed scrubland or woodland, dominated by such species as Mulga (Acacia aneura), Georgina Gidgee (Acacia georginae), Raspberry Jam (Acacia acuminata), Black Cypress-pine (Callitris endlicheri), White Cypress-pine (Callitris columellaris), and Slender Cypress-pine (Callitris preissii) with understory shrubs such as Cassia, hop-bush (Dodonaea), Emu bush (Eremophila) and spinifex (Triodia). (Wikipedia)
Diet
The diet consists of insects and other small arthropods. The Red-capped Robin mostly pounces on prey on the ground, although it can swoop and catch creatures while airborne. Less often, it gleans (takes prey while perched) in low-lying vegetation, almost always less than 3 m above the ground. The prey is most commonly on the ground when caught, although airborne insects are sometimes taken. (Wikipedia)
