Eopsaltria
Encyclopedia
Eopsaltria is a genus of small forest passerine
s known in Australia as the Yellow Robins. They belong to the Australasian Robin family Petroicidae
. The name is derived from the Ancient Greek
for "dawn singer/song" because of their dawn chorus. They are inquisitive and bold birds, and have been reported perching on the shoulders or boots of people in the bush. Open eucalyptus
woodlands are their preferred habitat. The ornithologist John Gould
likened the behaviour and mannerisms of the Eastern and Western Yellow Robin to those of the European Robin
. The name "Yellow Robin" itself was applied to the Eastern Yellow Robin by the early settlers of New South Wales.
The ornithologist William John Swainson named the genus Eopsaltria in 1832, placing into it the bird that was then known as the Yellow-Breasted Thrush (Pachycephala australis). Three species are currently classified within the genus: the Eastern
and Western Yellow Robin
s, which have been alternately classified as a single species by Julian Ford since 1979 on account of similarities in their calls and behaviour, and the White-breasted Robin
from the southwest corner of Western Australia. The Eastern Yellow Robin itself was historically split into two species, the northern populations were given the name Northern Yellow Robin (E. chrysorrhoa) while the remaining groups were known as the Southern Yellow Robin.
Another species, the Mangrove Robin
Peneoenanthe pulverulenta was often included in this genus. Although its plumage resembled that of the White-breasted Robin, DNA analysis revealed it should be classified as a member of the New Guinea genus Peneothello
.
Previously the two members of the genus Tregellasia
were included in this genus; the Pale-yellow Robin
(Tregellasia capito) and White-faced Robin
(T. leucops). The Yellow-bellied Flyrobin (Microeca flaviventris) of New Caledonia was previously classified in this genus as it had similar plumage, but a genetic analysis of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA has placed it in the genus Microeca
. Its nest and eggs resemble those of members of Microeca rather than Eopsaltria. The same study placed the White-breasted Robin as sister taxon to the two Tregellasia robins and proposed the genus be sunk once again into Eopsaltria.
Passerine
A passerine is a bird of the order Passeriformes, which includes more than half of all bird species. Sometimes known as perching birds or, less accurately, as songbirds, the passerines form one of the most diverse terrestrial vertebrate orders: with over 5,000 identified species, it has roughly...
s known in Australia as the Yellow Robins. They belong to the Australasian Robin family Petroicidae
Petroicidae
The bird family Petroicidae includes roughly 45 species in about 15 genera. All are endemic to Australasia: New Guinea, Australia, New Zealand and numerous Pacific Islands as far east as Samoa. For want of an accurate common name, the family is often called the Australasian robins. Within the...
. The name is derived from the Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek is the stage of the Greek language in the periods spanning the times c. 9th–6th centuries BC, , c. 5th–4th centuries BC , and the c. 3rd century BC – 6th century AD of ancient Greece and the ancient world; being predated in the 2nd millennium BC by Mycenaean Greek...
for "dawn singer/song" because of their dawn chorus. They are inquisitive and bold birds, and have been reported perching on the shoulders or boots of people in the bush. Open eucalyptus
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia...
woodlands are their preferred habitat. The ornithologist John Gould
John Gould
John Gould was an English ornithologist and bird artist. The Gould League in Australia was named after him. His identification of the birds now nicknamed "Darwin's finches" played a role in the inception of Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection...
likened the behaviour and mannerisms of the Eastern and Western Yellow Robin to those of the European Robin
European Robin
The European Robin , most commonly known in Anglophone Europe simply as the Robin, is a small insectivorous passerine bird that was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family , but is now considered to be an Old World flycatcher...
. The name "Yellow Robin" itself was applied to the Eastern Yellow Robin by the early settlers of New South Wales.
The ornithologist William John Swainson named the genus Eopsaltria in 1832, placing into it the bird that was then known as the Yellow-Breasted Thrush (Pachycephala australis). Three species are currently classified within the genus: the Eastern
Eastern Yellow Robin
The Eastern Yellow Robin is an Australasian robin of coastal and sub-coastal eastern Australia. The extent of the Eastern Yellow Robin's residence is from the extreme southeast corner of South Australia through most of Victoria and the western half of New South Wales and north as far as Cooktown...
and Western Yellow Robin
Western Yellow Robin
The Western Yellow Robin is a species of bird in the Petroicidae family. It is endemic to Australia, and sometimes known overseas as the Grey-breasted Robin....
s, which have been alternately classified as a single species by Julian Ford since 1979 on account of similarities in their calls and behaviour, and the White-breasted Robin
White-breasted Robin
The White-breasted Robin is a species of bird in the Petroicidae family. It is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. Unlike many other Australian robins, it lacks bright colours in its plumage, being a predominantly greyish bird with white underparts. Like many other Australian passerines...
from the southwest corner of Western Australia. The Eastern Yellow Robin itself was historically split into two species, the northern populations were given the name Northern Yellow Robin (E. chrysorrhoa) while the remaining groups were known as the Southern Yellow Robin.
Another species, the Mangrove Robin
Mangrove Robin
The Mangrove Robin is a species of bird in the Petroicidae family.-Distribution and habitat:It is found in Australia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea...
Peneoenanthe pulverulenta was often included in this genus. Although its plumage resembled that of the White-breasted Robin, DNA analysis revealed it should be classified as a member of the New Guinea genus Peneothello
Peneothello
Peneothello is a genus of bird in the Petroicidae family.-Species:* Peneothello bimaculata — White-rumped Robin* Peneothello cryptoleuca — Smoky Robin* Peneothello cyanus — Slaty Robin...
.
Previously the two members of the genus Tregellasia
Tregellasia
Tregellasia is a genus of bird in the Petroicidae family. The genus is found in Australia and New Guinea.It contains the following species:* Pale-yellow Robin * White-faced Robin -References:...
were included in this genus; the Pale-yellow Robin
Pale-yellow Robin
The Pale-yellow Robin is a species of passerine bird in the Petroicidae family. It is endemic to eastern Australia. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is a non-descript bird with grey head and olive upperparts, white throat and yellow underparts. The sexes are...
(Tregellasia capito) and White-faced Robin
White-faced Robin
The White-faced Robin is a species of bird in the Petroicidae family.It is found in Australia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea....
(T. leucops). The Yellow-bellied Flyrobin (Microeca flaviventris) of New Caledonia was previously classified in this genus as it had similar plumage, but a genetic analysis of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA has placed it in the genus Microeca
Microeca
Microeca is a genus of bird in the Petroicidae family.It contains the following species:* Jacky-winter * Lemon-bellied Flyrobin * Yellow-bellied Flyrobin...
. Its nest and eggs resemble those of members of Microeca rather than Eopsaltria. The same study placed the White-breasted Robin as sister taxon to the two Tregellasia robins and proposed the genus be sunk once again into Eopsaltria.
Species
- Eastern Yellow RobinEastern Yellow RobinThe Eastern Yellow Robin is an Australasian robin of coastal and sub-coastal eastern Australia. The extent of the Eastern Yellow Robin's residence is from the extreme southeast corner of South Australia through most of Victoria and the western half of New South Wales and north as far as Cooktown...
, Eopsaltria australis - Western Yellow RobinWestern Yellow RobinThe Western Yellow Robin is a species of bird in the Petroicidae family. It is endemic to Australia, and sometimes known overseas as the Grey-breasted Robin....
, Eopsaltria griseogularis - White-breasted RobinWhite-breasted RobinThe White-breasted Robin is a species of bird in the Petroicidae family. It is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. Unlike many other Australian robins, it lacks bright colours in its plumage, being a predominantly greyish bird with white underparts. Like many other Australian passerines...
, Eopsaltria georgiana