Bird Guide

Flame Robin vs Tomtit

Flame Robin (Petroica phoenicea)

Flame Robin

Petroica phoenicea

Tiny13 gShrubland

The largest of the red robins, the flame robin is 12–14 cm (4.7–5.5 in) long. It has a more slender build than other members of the genus Petroica, with relatively long wings and neck and small head. The male is easily distinguished by the bright orange-red plumage of the throat, breast, and abdomen. The crown, nape, ear coverts, hindneck, and sides of neck are dark grey, and lores and chin are a grey-black. The grey feathers of the sides of the crown may be suffused with dull orange. The rest of the upperparts, comprising the wings, back and tail, are dark grey.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Maria Duynisveld · CC BY 4.0
Tomtit (Petroica macrocephala)

Tomtit

Petroica macrocephala

Tiny12 gForest

The tomtit is a small (13 cm, 11 g) bird with a large head and a short bill. The male North Island subspecies has black head, back, wings (with a white wing-bar), and a white belly. The subspecies from South Island, the Chatham Islands, and Auckland Islands are similar, but have a yellow band across the breast between the black head and white belly. The females are brown instead of black. The Snares Island subspecies is entirely black, and is known as the black tit.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Tomtit
Recorded by craig wilson · Song · Millerton, Buller District, West Coast Region, New Zealand · CC BY 4.0
Photo: Henry Hart · CC0

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Flame Robin and Tomtit.