Flame Robin - profile

Indicative distribution

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Key:

known

predicted

The areas shown in pink and/purple are the sub-regions where the species or community is known or predicted to occur. They may not occur thoughout the sub-region but may be restricted to certain areas. ( click here to see geographic restrictions). The information presented in this map is only indicative and may contain errors and omissions.

Scientific name: Petroica phoenicea

Conservation status in NSW: Vulnerable

Commonwealth status: Not listed

Gazetted date: 12 Feb 2010

Profile last updated: 01 Dec 2017

Description

The Flame Robin is a small Australian robin that reaches 14 cm in length. The male has a dark grey head and upperparts, a small white forehead patch, and white wing stripes and white tail-edges. The male has a bright orange-red throat, breast and upper-belly. The lower belly is white. The female is brown, darker above, and has a whitish throat and lower belly. The whitish mark on the female’s forehead is inconspicuous. Female Flame Robins also have white and buffish marked wings and tail. Immature males resemble females. The main call of the Flame Robin is a thin, pretty, piping descending song.

Distribution

The Flame Robin is endemic to south eastern Australia, and ranges from near the Queensland border to south east South Australia and also in Tasmania. In NSW, it breeds in upland areas and in winter, many birds move to the inland slopes and plains. It is likely that there are two separate populations in NSW, one in the Northern Tablelands, and another ranging from the Central to Southern Tablelands.

Habitat and ecology

Breeds in upland tall moist eucalypt forests and woodlands, often on ridges and slopes.
Prefers clearings or areas with open understoreys.
The groundlayer of the breeding habitat is dominated by native grasses and the shrub layer may be either sparse or dense.
Occasionally occurs in temperate rainforest, and also in herbfields, heathlands, shrublands and sedgelands at high altitudes.
In winter, birds migrate to drier more open habitats in the lowlands (i.e. valleys below the ranges, and to the western slopes and plains).
Often occurs in recently burnt areas; however, habitat becomes unsuitable as vegetation closes up following regeneration.
In winter lives in dry forests, open woodlands and in pastures and native grasslands, with or without scattered trees.
In winter, occasionally seen in heathland or other shrublands in coastal areas.
Birds forage from low perches, from which they sally or pounce onto small invertebrates which they take from the ground or off tree trunks, logs and other coarse woody debris.
Flying insects are often taken in the air and sometimes gleans for invertebrates from foliage and bark.
In their autumn and winter habitats, birds often sally from fence-posts or thistles and other prominent perches in open habitats.
Occur singly, in pairs, or in flocks of up to 40 birds or more; in the non-breeding season they will join up with other insectivorous birds in mixed feeding flocks.
Breeds in spring to late summer.
Nests are often near the ground and are built in sheltered sites, such as shallow cavities in trees, stumps or banks.
Builds an open cup nest made of plant materials and spider webs.
Eggs are oval in shape and are pale bluish- or greenish-white and marked with brownish blotches; clutch size is three or four eggs.

Regional distribution and habitat

Click on a region below to view detailed distribution, habitat and vegetation information.

Threats

Clearing and degradation of breeding and wintering habitats.
Loss of nest sites, food sources and foraging sites, such as standing dead timber, logs and coarse woody debris from depletion by grazing, firewood collection and ‘tidying up’ of rough pasture.
Predation by over-abundant populations of Pied Currawong (Strepera graculina) which are supported by planted exotic berry-producing shrubs; this pressure, is addition to that from other native and exotic predators, may be a potentially severe threat to the breeding success of Scarlet Robin populations.
Habitat for the Scarlet Robin may become unsuitable if dense regeneration occurs after bushfires or other disturbances.
Competetive exclusion by over-abundant Noisy Miners (Manorina melanocephala) within habitat.
Isolation of patches of habitat, particularly where these patches are smaller than 10 ha, and in landscapes where clearing has been heavy or where remnants are surrounded by cropping or stock grazing.
Habitat modification due to overgrazing.
Reduction of the native ground cover in favour of exotic grasses.
Reduction in the structural complexity of habitat, including reductions in canopy cover, shrub cover, ground cover, logs, fallen branches and leaf litter.
Reduction of size of remnant patches.

Recovery strategies

A targeted strategy for managing this species has been developed under the Saving Our Species program; click here for details. For more information on the Saving Our Species program click here

Activities to assist this species

Retain existing forest, woodland and remnant grassland vegetation, including paddock trees.
Retain dead timber on the ground in open forest and woodland areas.
Enhance potential habitat through regeneration by reducing the intensity and duration of grazing.
Fence remnants to protect from long-term, intense grazing.
Increase the size of existing remnants, by planting trees and establishing buffer zones of un-modified, uncultivated pasture around woodland remnants.
Avoid the use of exotic berry-producing shrubs in landscape and garden plantings in areas adjacent to Flame Robin habitats.

Information sources

Higgins, P.J. and Peter, J.M. (eds.) (2002) Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds. Volume 6: Pardalotes to shrike-thrushes. (Oxford University Press, Melbourne)
NSW Scientific Committee (2010) Flame Robin Petroica phoenicea Gould 1837 - vulnerable species listing. NSW Scientific Committee - final determination
Pizzey, G. and Knight, F. (2003) The Field Guide to the Birds of Australia 7th Edition. Menkhorst, P. (ed). HarperCollins

IBRA Bioregion	IBRA Subregion	Known or predicted	Geographic restrictions region

Australian Alps	Snowy Mountains	Known	None
Brigalow Belt South	Liverpool Plains	Known	None
Brigalow Belt South	Liverpool Range	Known	None
Brigalow Belt South	Pilliga	Known	None
Brigalow Belt South	Pilliga Outwash	Known	None
Brigalow Belt South	Talbragar Valley	Predicted	None
Cobar Peneplain	Barnato Downs	Predicted	None
Cobar Peneplain	Lachlan Plains	Known	None
Cobar Peneplain	Nymagee	Known	None
Darling Riverine Plains	Bogan-Macquarie	Predicted	None
Darling Riverine Plains	Castlereagh-Barwon	Known	None
Murray Darling Depression	Darling Depression	Predicted	None
Murray Darling Depression	South Olary Plain	Known	None
Nandewar	Kaputar	Known	None
Nandewar	Nandewar Northern Complex	Predicted	None
Nandewar	Peel	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Armidale Plateau	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Binghi Plateau	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Bundarra Downs	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Deepwater Downs	Predicted	None
New England Tablelands	Eastern Nandewars	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Ebor Basalts	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Glenn Innes-Guyra Basalts	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Moredun Volcanics	Predicted	None
New England Tablelands	Nightcap	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Northeast Forest Lands	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Round Mountain	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Severn River Volcanics	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Stanthorpe Plateau	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Tenterfield Plateau	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Tingha Plateau	Predicted	None
New England Tablelands	Walcha Plateau	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Wongwibinda Plateau	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Yarrowyck-Kentucky Downs	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Barrington	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Carrai Plateau	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Cataract	Predicted	None
NSW North Coast	Chaelundi	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Coffs Coast and Escarpment	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Comboyne Plateau	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Dalmorton	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Ellerston	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Guy Fawkes	Predicted	None
NSW North Coast	Karuah Manning	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Macleay Gorges	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Macleay Hastings	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Mummel Escarpment	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Rocky River Gorge	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Tomalla	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Upper Hunter	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Upper Manning	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Washpool	Predicted	None
NSW South Western Slopes	Capertee Valley	Known	None
NSW South Western Slopes	Inland Slopes	Known	None
NSW South Western Slopes	Lower Slopes	Known	None
Ocean	Hawkesbury Shelf	Known	None
Ocean	Manning Shelf	Known	None
Ocean	Twofold Shelf	Known	None
Ocean - Other State	Southern Australian Coastal Waters	Known	None
Other State	ACT	Known	None
Other State	Jervis Bay Territory	Predicted	None
Other State	QLD	Known	None
Other State	SA	Known	None
Other State	VIC	Known	None
Riverina	Lachlan	Known	None
Riverina	Murray Fans	Known	None
Riverina	Murrumbidgee	Known	None
Riverina	Robinvale Plains	Predicted	None
South East Corner	Bateman	Known	None
South East Corner	East Gippsland Lowlands	Known	None
South East Corner	South East Coastal Ranges	Known	None
South Eastern Highlands	Bathurst	Known	None
South Eastern Highlands	Bondo	Known	None
South Eastern Highlands	Bungonia	Known	None
South Eastern Highlands	Capertee Uplands	Known	None
South Eastern Highlands	Crookwell	Known	None
South Eastern Highlands	Hill End	Known	None
South Eastern Highlands	Kanangra	Known	None
South Eastern Highlands	Kybeyan-Gourock	Known	None
South Eastern Highlands	Monaro	Known	None
South Eastern Highlands	Murrumbateman	Known	None
South Eastern Highlands	Oberon	Known	None
South Eastern Highlands	Orange	Known	None
South Eastern Queensland	Burringbar-Conondale Ranges	Known	None
South Eastern Queensland	Clarence Lowlands	Known	None
South Eastern Queensland	Clarence Sandstones	Predicted	None
South Eastern Queensland	Scenic Rim	Known	None
South Eastern Queensland	Woodenbong	Predicted	None
Sydney Basin	Burragorang	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Cumberland	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Ettrema	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Hunter	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Illawarra	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Jervis	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Kerrabee	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Moss Vale	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Pittwater	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Sydney Cataract	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Wollemi	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Wyong	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Yengo	Known	None