Bird of the Month: Eastern Yellow Robin

August’s bird of the month is the Eastern Yellow Robin (Eopsaltria australis).

This species inhabits a broad range across eastern Australia and is the most common robin in the Illawarra. They typically live in woodland and rainforest areas and are often seen around the escarpment but can also be observed in more coastal vegetation.

Eastern Yellow Robins usually feed on insects and other arthropods found in the leaf litter. They prefer to cling to vertical branches when scouting for food and will pounce down on unsuspecting prey.

Despite being rather shy, Eastern Yellow Robins can remain still on their perch when scouting for food, providing excellent photo opportunities.

I was able to get within a few metres of this individual (pictured above) on Mount Keira while it was distracted foraging.