I’m spending the weekend in the Blue Mountains, about two hours’ drive west of Sydney. A little Scarlet Robin was fascinated by the shiny surfaces of a row of cars. It kept swooping down to examine the mirrors and paintwork.

This is a male bird, with its scarlet patch on the chest and striking black and white markings on the rest of the body. The female was flitting around too, but didn’t stay in any one place long enough for a picture. She was light brown with a pale orange chest.

This is my first sighting of a Scarlet Robin, though I often see the Eastern Yellow Robin nearer home. Australian robins are not related to European or American robins. When Europeans came to Australia, they named these little birds “robins” because they reminded them of the birds they saw back home. The same applies to Australian magpies, and probably other birds too.

Common name: Scarlet Robin
Scientific name: Petroica boodang
Approximate length: 12 cm
Date spotted: 21 November 2021 (spring)
Location: Rydal Showground, NSW, Australia: 33°28’58.7″S 150°02’11.0″E