Fun Flame Robin Facts For Kids
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The flame robin came to our knowledge first through the French naturalist Joseph Paul Gaimard and Jean René Constant Quoy in 1830 as Muscicapa chrysoptera. The unique epithet Chrysoptera is derived from the Ancient Greek words 'chrysos' golden, and 'Pteron' feather.
John Gould positioned the flame robin in its modern-day genus as Petroica phoenicea in his 1837 description, and it became this latter scientific name that has been used since all these years. It is a fairly common resident of the cool regions of South Eastern Australia, including Tasmania.
The breeding season for these Australian birds starts from August to January and it may raise one or two broods. The eggs laid by this robin are dull white in color.
Their conservation status is Near Threatened. Read on for more fun facts!
If you like these, then you should definitely read our pink robin and European robin facts.
Flame Robin Interesting Facts
What type of animal is a flame robin?
The flame robin is a small passerine bird that is local to Australia. Like the scarlet robin and the red-capped robin, it's frequently referred to like the robin redbreast.
What class of animal does a flame robin belong to?
The Australian flame robin (Petroica phoenicea) is found in the Southeast corner of the South Australian border. The species, found in all their glory in their habitat, belongs to the Aves class of animal.
How many flame robins are there in the world?
The Australian flame robin (Petroica phoenicea) is a bird of Australia with a bright orange breast. According to research done in 2000, there are only 1,000,000 mature individuals left in the world, and their population is declining.
Where does a flame robin live?
Flame robins are Tasmanian birds that are found in temperate regions of southeastern Australia. Flame robin range is from the Adelaide and Murray Plains in South Australia, across Victoria in Australia into New South Wales's South West slopes and southern regions. In addition, flame robins are found in great numbers in the Australian mainland from southern Queensland.
What is a flame robin's habitat?
These Tasmanian birds of Australia migrate in summers and winters, so their habitat preference changes accordingly.
In summer and spring, their habitat is in moist eucalypt woodlands in hilly or mountainous regions, specifically the tops and slopes, to an elevation of 5,900 ft (1798.3 m) above sea level. It commonly prefers regions with greater clearings and less understory in the southeast corner of Australia.
In the fall and winter, birds circulate to greater open regions, including grasslands and open woodlands, specifically those containing rivers above sea level.
Flame robins regularly end up more considerable in regions burnt by bushfires but move away as soon as the undergrowth regrows. They can also be found in logged or cleared regions in forests.
However, a field study within the Boola Boola State Forest in central Gippsland found that they may no longer be located in regions where the regrowth after logging is dense.
Who do flame robins live with?
The male flame robin, just like the scarlet robin, lives a solitary life until they find a mate. During the breeding season, the male flame robins find a female, and they stay in a pair and are monogamous, but there are some instances where the male or female leaves the other.
How long does a flame robin live?
The scarlet robin and flame robins are species of birds that have the same lifespan. These Australian birds live for up to two years in the wild unless they catch any diseases or are killed by a predator.
How do they reproduce?
The breeding season for these Australian birds starts from August to January, which may raise one or two broods. The male flame robins propose appropriate nest sites to the female by hopping across the area during the breeding season.
Unlike different robins, the female every so often initiates the site selection. The nest is a neat, deep cup made from smooth, dry grass, moss, and bark.
Spider webs, fur, and feathers are used for binding/filling, typically in a tree fork or crevice or riverbank ledge, commonly in some meters of the ground. After these Australian birds are done breeding, the female goes and sits in the nest to lay eggs when the breeding season ends.
The females give a clutch of typically three to four dull white eggs, which can be laid on consecutive days. The average incubation period has been recorded to around 17 days.
Like all passerines, the chicks are altricial, which means that they're born blind and naked and begin to develop down on their head and back on day two. Their eyes open on day six, and that they start growing their primary flight feathers around day 9-10.
For the initial three days after hatching, the mother feeds the nestlings with food delivered to her via way of means of the father.
The father feeds them without delay from the fourth day onwards, with the mother brooding them afterward till day seven. Flies, butterflies, moths, caterpillars, and beetles predominate the meals fed to the baby birds.
What is their conservation status?
The conservation status of flame robins, which are also known as Petroica multicolor, is Near Threatened as per the IUCN Red List.
Flame Robin Fun Facts
What do flame robins look like?
The male flame robin is identified by the bright orange breast and throat. The sides of their neck are dark slate gray, and the chin is gray-brown in color.
The lower belly and undertail are also dark slate gray, and the legs, dark brown. The pale buff wing stripe of the female has a clear white stripe.
The lower belly and undertail of the female have a white outer tail feather. Unlike the lower belly, the breast of the female is lemon-yellow in color, and the color is the same as for the males for legs, dark brown.
How cute are they?
Flame robins are very cute and small birds. And because of their orange breast and throat with pale buff wing stripe, their appearance is boosted. The head and back look good, too, because of the white outer tail feather.
How do they communicate?
Flame robins often make a mumbled 'tuk' or 'cuck' to communicate with other species of birds or a sharp yeep or peek as an alarm call. They also repeatedly make chirr sounds that rise in loudness and might sound like a chuckle or laugh.
How big is a flame robin?
These Australian species of birds can grow up to 4.7-5.5 in (12- 14 cm) in length. So they are 10 times bigger than a worm.
How fast can a flame robin fly?
These birds can fly at 20-36 mph (32-57.9 kph) when they are migrating.
How much does a flame robin weigh?
The flame robin bird species weighs 0.3-0.5 oz (8.5-14.1 g).
What are the male and female names of the species?
There are no different names for male and female birds of this species.
What would you call a baby flame robin?
Baby flame robins are referred to as juveniles and have no specific name given to them.
What do they eat?
The diet of this species of birds consists of invertebrates, wasps, beetles, caterpillars, worms, and other insects.
Are they friendly?
They are friendly birds that will not uselessly attack humans. However, after the eggs have been laid, flame robins become territorial and protect the eggs from predators and might even kill another bird to protect its nest.
Would they make a good pet?
Flame robins are pleasant birds that don't want plenty of care, grooming, or space. In conjunction with a flame robin's extensive diet, these factors can make them good applicants for maintaining them as pets.
Did you know...
The role of the flame robin and its Australian species in the Passerine family tree is unclear. The Petroicidae aren't associated with both the European or American robins. However, it seems like an early offshoot of the Passerida group of songbirds.
There are stories behind their red-colored chests. One such story says that the robin got its red breast after burning itself on a fire it fanned to keep the baby Jesus warm.
Why is the flame robin endangered?
Climate change, degradation of the habitat, and agriculture lead to a steep decline in their population. However, they are not considered endangered as yet.
Why is it called flame robin?
The symbolism of flame robin celebrates spring with mellow music and symbolizes renewal, sparkling beginnings, and hope. This species also symbolizes pleasure, joy, clarity, contentment, satisfaction, rejuvenation, brilliant destiny, and happiness.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these bowerbird facts and umbrellabird facts for kids.
You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable flame robin coloring pages.
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