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Pale-yellow Robin

Did you know?

The Pale-yellow Robin can be found in groups of one dominant male, one or two females and one to two subordinate males, which may be related to the adults. These subordinate males help bring food to the young and breeding females and help to defend the group's territory.

Calls
Quieter than the Eastern Yellow Robin. Repeated squeaks, 'seee-seee-seee-seee-seee-seee'.
Facts and Figures
Research Species: 
No
Minimum Size: 
12cm
Maximum Size: 
13cm
Average size: 
13cm
Average weight: 
14g
Breeding season: 
September to December in south; July to December in north.
Clutch Size: 
2
Incubation: 
18 days
Nestling Period: 
19 days
Conservation Status
Federal: 
Secure
NSW: 
Secure
NT: 
Not present
QLD: 
Secure
SA: 
Not present
TAS: 
Not present
VIC: 
Not present
WA: 
Not present
Basic Information
Scientific Name: 
Tregellasia capito
Featured bird groups: 
Small insect-eating birds
Atlas Number: 
396
What does it look like?
Description: 

The adult Pale-yellow Robin is a small bird, grey-olive above, yellow below, with white or orange sides to the forehead. It has yellowish legs and a short and rather broad bill. The juveniles are red-brown above, pale below and have white streaks. These robins are usually seen in pairs or singly and are quiet and unobtrusive birds. This species is sometimes known as the Buff-faced, Large-headed, Pale or Rufous-lored Robin.

Similar species: 

The slightly larger Eastern Yellow Robin, Eopsaltria australis, has blackish legs, lacks white markings in front of the eye and has a yellow rump. The similarly sized White-faced Robin, T. leucops, has more extensive white markings around the eyes and a black forehea

Where does it live?
Distribution: 

The Pale-yellow Robin is endemic to Australia. It has two disjunct (separate) populations on the east coast, both on the eastern side of the Great Dividing Range. The first population occurs in New South Wales, from the upper Hunter (Dungog) to just north of the Tropic of Capricorn. The second population occurs from Townsville to near Cooktown in northern Queensland.

Habitat: 

The Pale-yellow Robin is found in moist eucalypt forests, subtropical and tropical rainforests with dense vegetation, such as vine thickets.

Seasonal movements: 

Movements of the Pale-yellow Robin are poorly known, but it is considered sedentary.

What does it do?
Feeding: 

The Pale-yellow Robin feeds mainly on insects, and sometimes seeds. This species forages on the ground to the middle levels of the forest. They forage among foliage or on the ground, mainly pouncing on prey on the ground or from perches.

Breeding: 

The Pale-yellow Robin builds a cup-shaped nest from grass, rootlets and spiders' web, decorated with moss, bark, lichen and leaves. The nests are usually found one to six metres above the ground in the fork of a shrub or vine in dense vegetation. The eggs are incubated by the female. The male brings food back to the female on the nest. The young are fed by both parents and additional helpers (usually males), if available. If a predator approaches the nest, the parent can distract the predator by faking an injury and drawing the predator away from the nest.

Living with us

The Pale-yellow Robin is threatened by habitat clearing for agriculture and housing, being particularly prone to the effects of habitat fragmentation. This species is also sensitive to the thinning of vegetation and disturbance caused by logging.

References: 
Field guide to the birds of Australia, 6th Edition
Field Guide to the Birds of Australia.
Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds, Volume 6: Pardalotes to Shrike-thrushes.
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