Wednesday 27 November 2013

Wild Bird Wednesday 72 - Eastern Yellow Robin

While most birds called "robins" have a red breast, just to be different these guys have a yellow one.  In fact these birds are not that closely related to the Robins I grew up with.  I assume that the similarity of form is a product of convergent evolution.  (Sorry, I should have issued a science warning!).

As you may have gathered by now I am more than normally interested in the way things are named.  I think that the names we give things can alter the way we see them - call a bird a robin and a Brit will expect to come and feed in the freshly stirred earth of a garden flower bed.

These are Eastern Yellow Robins - Eopsaltria australis - and while common, I find them a rather secretive bird - not one that sits on still warm garden fork handles.  These birds seemed very fond of sitting in places with rather bad light!

The first set were taken in a mix of bright light and deep shadow on the side of a path near Lorne, and the second set taken in rather deep shade in suburban Melbourne.  You can see that the second bird has a green plastic band - up until this point I have not been able to find out who is (or has been) studying these birds.






Note green leg band
Note green leg band
Now it's your turn to join in with WBW.  Good number of bloggers have been linking up over the past month, but we can always find space for more!  So, invite away and don't forget to link back here!





47 comments:

  1. they're just adorable. sweetest little face!!! love the soft grey above that bright yellow.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh Stewart.... what a PRETTY bird!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Your robins do have some similarity to the UK Robin Stewart, more probaably in their shape, size and demeanour rather than colour I agree. I'm gussing the early settlers called lots of small birds "robins" even when the similarities were small? By coincidence there's a redbreast for you on my post. Thanks for the hosting again.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hij zit daar heerlijk te genieten Stewart. geweldig mooi.

    ReplyDelete
  5. What a beautiful, colorful little bird, Stewart!! Wonderful captures as always! Hope you are enjoying a great week!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Beautiful!! It reminds me more of a yellow-breasted Chickadee. The gray and yellow are sure pretty.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Now they are nice little birds, you have some amazing birds over there. From Findlay

    ReplyDelete
  8. Little sweeties, I love their colouration!

    ReplyDelete
  9. No way!!!! No way!!!! That is the most beautiful looking Robin....and it's a new bird for me. I have never heard of this one. Gorgeous.....that yellow is bright like spring!

    ReplyDelete
  10. A cute little bird with beautiful colours.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Such a lovely little bird. I love the coloration.

    ReplyDelete
  12. That robin is new to me. That's what I like about WBW.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Yes, I would have expected a red breast-- after all, that is how our US robins got their name. Those Aussies can be contrary!

    ReplyDelete
  14. A great serie of photos of this cute little bird!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Hi Stewart. lovely little bird which I have seen but never got as good shots as you have managed.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Great photos of the Yellow Robin. I see them up here but NEVER Yet in a place where I can get a good photo!

    ReplyDelete
  17. very sweet, great photos Stewart.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Great series on the the Yellow Robin I also have a Yellow Robin this week.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Great little bird Stewart, and an interesting comparison.
    All the best Gordon.

    ReplyDelete
  20. they have to be one of my favourites Stewart. I would definitely want to scout down the ringer of the robin too

    ReplyDelete
  21. Stewart, your yellow breasted Robin is a cutie! I am used to seeing the European Robin in different blogs and of course our American Robin but I really love your Eastern Yellow Robin. Great photos, thanks for hosting. Have a wonderful week ahead!

    ReplyDelete
  22. What an adorable little bird! And how wonderful it posed so politely for you! Thanks for hosting WBW :)

    ReplyDelete
  23. I've never heard of an Eastern Yellow Robin. A gorgeous little bird! If you hadn't said it was a robin, I would have guessed it belonged to the Tit family.

    ReplyDelete
  24. I've never heard of it either, but it is a charming little bird.

    ReplyDelete
  25. I love this little robin that I have only encountered around Bright in the Vic. high country. They are so much larger than the red-breasted flame, re-cap or rose robins. Glad to see them in the 'used-to-be forests' near Lorne. I know all about their shade loving shy habits and photographic challenges :).

    ReplyDelete
  26. Wow, what adorable little yellow-breasted Robins! I have seen the blue-breasted ones from Scandinavia in photos, but nev yellow before. Lovely, lovely.

    ReplyDelete
  27. So cute!
    But quite startling to think of yellow robins. Robins here in the USA are red-breasted, but not the same shade of red as the European ones (judging by photos I have seen on blogs).
    Happy Birding!
    Lea

    ReplyDelete
  28. Wow Stewart, I've never seen a Yellow Robin. In Africa we now call all erstwhile-named Robins, Robin-Chats. I 'm fortunate that I became interested in birding in 2005 which was soon after our book: Birds of Africa South of the Sahara which had the new names in it. I learned them but older birders still call the birds by old names, like Knysna Lourie instead of Knysna Turaco and the Natal Robin instead of the Red-capped Robin-Chat. Thanks for sharing your beautiful birds and hosting this meme. Greetings, Jo

    ReplyDelete
  29. Beautiful series for sweet little bird...

    ReplyDelete
  30. HI Stewart, Great shots as always!
    Christine Connelley (an Instagram connection of mine!) is doing a PhD on the effects of Urbanization on EYRs - IG account @chrissieowl Web - http://urbanrobins.wordpress.com
    This could be one of "her" birds!
    Peter

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Stewart (and Pete!) - Pete is correct! It is most likely one of my banded robins (I don't know anyone else who is/has colour banded yellow robins in Melbourne). I am doing a PhD with Deakin University, looking at the effects of urbanisation on this species. I am trying to get enough location fixes on the colourbanded ones to determine their home-ranges. I would really appreciate if you could get in touch - email at caconnel@deakin.edu.au, and let me know exactly where you saw it, when, I would be really grateful! Thanks so much :-)
      Also, if you are often in the reserve where you saw it, maybe I can give you a GPS in case you see another!

      Delete
  31. Wow, what a delightful looking bird, and that yellow is marvelous. You did a fine job of getting these images, for the way they stay hidden~

    ReplyDelete
  32. WOW - wunderschön!!
    Grüsse Babs

    ReplyDelete
  33. Hi Stewart!
    Lovely photos of this little Robin! I think it looks like our blue tit a lot!
    Greetings Pia

    ReplyDelete
  34. Such beautiful birds! Your pictures are splendid Stewart just like a pro :) have a great week ahead .

    ReplyDelete
  35. This is a beautiful bird Stewart. So different from the American Robins we have here.

    ReplyDelete
  36. That's a beauty. I've not seen one of these before Stewart. Makes a nice change.

    ReplyDelete
  37. He is just a cute little butterball, even if he is in poor light (I'd be so happy with getting those pictures... you know, it's all relative!)....

    ReplyDelete
  38. What a pretty bird, unusual color. I like seeing your posts they are informative and it's nice to learn the proper names of the birds.

    ReplyDelete
  39. HI Stewart So sorry I forgot to link until today, I had to fly out ofN.Irealnd very early yessterday and although I had the post ready, didn't have it linked.

    ReplyDelete
  40. What a cute little bird. Great photos! I haven't seen one like it before.

    ReplyDelete
  41. What a pretty little bird! Wonderful shot!

    ReplyDelete
  42. from the front view your little yellow Robin looks a bit like a Blue tit. :)

    ReplyDelete