South Island Robin
Petroica australis
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
- FamilyPetroicidae (Australasian Robins)
- GenusPetroica (Typical Australasian Robins)
- SpeciesPetroica australis (South Island Robin)
About the South Island Robin
The South Island robin (Petroica australis; also known in Māori as the kakaruai) is a sparrow-sized bird found only in New Zealand, where it has the status of a protected endemic species. The birds are sparsely distributed through the South Island and Stewart Island / Rakiura, although the distribution is not continuous. The nominate, and the Stewart Island robin (P. australis rakiura) are the two subspecies. The species is closely related to the North Island robin (formerly P. australis longipes, now considered a distinct species), and also to the extremely rare black robin (P. traversi) of the Chatham Islands.
The South Island robin has two subspecies: P. australis australis, the nominate form, and P. australis rakiura, the Stewart Island robin. These subspecies do not overlap in their distributions. The North Island robin (P. longipes), the tomtit (Petroica macrocephala), and the black robin (Petroica traversi) in the Chatham Islands are closely related species. P. traversi seems to be a Chatham Island derivative of P. australis, although the position of the most recent common ancestor has yet to be determined. The family Petroicidae of Australasian robins has a total... Wikipedia →
Closest Relatives at Egmont National Park
Miromiro
Petroica macrocephala
Tūī
Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae
Grey Warbler
Gerygone igata
Eurasian Blackbird
Turdus merula
New Zealand Fantail
Rhipidura fuliginosa
Welcome Swallow
Hirundo neoxena
Australian Magpie
Gymnorhina tibicen
Silvereye
Zosterops lateralis
Chaffinch
Fringilla coelebs
European Starling
Sturnus vulgaris
European Greenfinch
Chloris chloris
Eurasian Goldfinch
Carduelis carduelis
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arthur's Pass National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 2 | Rakiura National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 3 | Fiordland National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 4 | Tongariro National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 5 | Egmont National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 6 | Abel Tasman National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 7 | Aoraki Mount Cook National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a South Island Robin in Egmont National Park?
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a South Island Robin sighting in Egmont National Park, based on 44 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see South Island Robin in Egmont National Park?
November has the highest sighting rate for South Island Robin in Egmont National Park in our monthly data.