Petroica is a genus of Australasian robins, named for their red and pink markings. They are not closely related to the European robins nor the American robins.
Taxonomy The genus was introduced by the English naturalist, William Swainson, in 1829, with the Norfolk robin (Petroica multicolor) as the type species. The generic name combines the Ancient Greek petro- "rock" with oikos "home".
Many species in Australia have a red breast and are known colloquially as "red robins" as distinct from the "yellow robins" of the genus Eopsaltria.
Species and subspecies The genus contains the following 14 species: Male Female Common name Scientific name Distribution Rose robin Petroica roseaAustralia. Pink robin Petroica rodinogaster Tasmania, southern Australia Snow Mountains robin Petroica archboldiWest Papua, Indonesia. Mountain robin Petroica bivittata New Guinea Highlands Flame robin Petroica phoeniceasouth-eastern Australia, including Tasmania Solomons robin Petroica polymorpha Solomon Islands. Pacific robin Petroica pusilla Melanesia and Polynesia. Norfolk robin Petroica multicolor Norfolk Island, an Australian territory in the Tasman Sea, between Australia and New Zealand Scarlet robin Petroica boodang Australia, including Tasmania. Red-capped robin Petroica goodenovii Australia. Tomtit Petroica macrocephalaNew Zealand North Island robin Petroica longipes North Island of New Zealand. South Island robin Petroica australis New Zealand Black robin Petroica traversi the Chatham Islands
References
Del Hoyo, J.; Elliot, A. & Christie D. (editors). (2006). Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 12: Picathartes to Tits and Chickadees. Lynx Edicions.
Further reading
External links