The dusky robin (Melanodryas vittata ) is a small passerine bird native to Tasmania. A member of the Australian robin family Petroicidae, it is known by many other names such as Dozey, Sad, Sleepy, Stump, Tasmania/Wood Robin; Native Sparrow or Sad Bird.
This sombre dark brown robin is characterised by a narrow line, starting from behind the eye to the rear of the ear-coverts and white bars running down it wings. The origin of its binomial name was derived from a Latin word vittatus, which means banded.
Measuring from 14-16.5 centimetres in length, and weight around 27 grams, the dusky robin lacks the bright colours of its robin relatives. The bird has short, slender bill and a moderately long tail, and it is much larger than other Petroicidae that occur in Tasmania. It is almost impossible to differentiate male from female in the field. They have no seasonal variation nor sexual dimorphism.
However, there are large, noticeable differences between adults and juvenile dusky robins.
The dusky robin is endemic to Tasmania, where it is widespread. They have an open habitat, ranging from sea level to 1,200m above sea level. They usually occur in dry sclerophyll forest, but can also be found in coastal heathland, sedge land and Button Grass plains. They, however, favour ecotones, between forests and clearings or recently burnt area.
The breeding season is from July to December, and one or two broods are raised. Dusky robins are cooperative breeders, where two or three, presumably male, adult robins can look after a nest by feeding the female who is incubating the eggs.
The nest of the dusky robin is often large, untidy and cup-shaped, placed in a fork in a tree or stump, often a fire-blackened one. Materials for nest consist of rootlets, strips of bark, twigs, grass, stems of edges and pieces of fern-frond, bound with spider webs, often on a base of twigs and lined with grass, rootlets, fine bark, plant-down, hair, fur, feathers and wool.
