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Scarlet Robin

Petroica multicolor

Scarlet Robin

A medium-sized robin, with a plump and compact appearance. Males have a black head, neck and upperparts with a conspicuous white patch above the bill (frontal patch). The breast is scarlet red and the lower underparts are white. The wings are barred white and the outer tail is also white. Females differ markedly from males, being brown above with a whitish frontal patch and an orange-red breast, brown wings and white underparts. Young birds resemble females but are streaked white above, tinged buff on the wings and are mottled dark-brown on the breast and sides of the body. It feeds mainly on insects and forages on or near the ground. It will sit on a perch and fly down to catch prey. Sometimes forages in mixed flocks with other small insect-eating birds.

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