HOODED ROBIN

The male Hooded Robin has a black head and back, with a white patch on its forehead and white underparts. It has a distinctive black hood that covers the head, giving it its name. The female has similar features, but with more subdued colours, including a greyish-brown back.

The Hooded Robin is found in various parts of Australia, particularly in the southern and eastern regions. It inhabits open woodland, mallee scrub, and grassy areas with scattered trees.

Hooded Robins are known for their distinctive perching behaviour. They perch on low branches or fence posts and perform short flights to catch insects in mid-air. They are primarily insectivorous and feed on insects, spiders, and other small invertebrates.

Hooded Robins usually breed during spring and summer. The female builds a cup-shaped nest made of grass and bark, often placed on a horizontal branch or in the fork of a tree. The clutch typically consists of 2-3 eggs, which are incubated by the female.

Like many bird species, it faces threats such as habitat loss, degradation, and predation by introduced species.

• M. c. cucullata was listed as Endangered on March 31^st 2023, primarily on the basis that the existing population was deemed to have reduced by > 50% in the last 10 years (one generation 3.0 years) as evidenced by repeated bird surveys in known locations.

• The hooded robin is listed as Vulnerable under the Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act (1988).^[