This charming little bird will often breed in denser habitat areas like gullies and coastal scrubs, and then move out into more open woodland.
Above: the Eastern Yellow Robin. Photo by the author.
Sometimes the inquisitive nature of this bird means that all you need to do for a close encounter is to remain quiet and allow it to approach at its own pace. It likes to perch sideways on a vertical branch or trunk then dive to the ground to snap up its prey.
The Eastern Yellow Robin constructs a beautiful cup-shaped nest which it cleverly camouflages with bark and lichen. It has several calls, one being an easily recognizable explosive piping ‘chip-chip, chip …’
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The bird in the picture was ‘ticked’ at Nangara Reserve, Jindivick. It was one of several that approached to inspect the ‘intruder’, sitting still just long enough for a fumbling photographer to wrestle with some camera settings.
As often is the case, the Eastern Yellow Robins were joined at various times by other species and I quickly noted Rufous and Grey Fantails, Lewin’s Honeyeaters, ubiquitous Splendid Fairy Wrens and Brown Thornbills. A golden Whistler was trilling somewhere in the background too.
Gouldiae
We have a wonderful diversity of birds in this pocket of Gippsland, so good on you publishing this story.
Eastern Yellow Robins at Mount Worth, as were (elusive) Pink & Rose Robins.
They’re a lovely bird, and so are the wrens, honeyeaters and little brown bush birds – unfortunately, the rapid expansion of Indian mynahs here in Trafalgar threatens all the little native birds. I would buy a humane trap for the mynahs but need someone to kill them (humanely) and help restore the balance, as has been done elsewhere. Any ideas?