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Petroica australis


Petroica australis
Photo Information
Copyright: Pam Russell (coasties) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3749 W: 483 N: 8155] (28054)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2006-07-24
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 20D, Canon EF 100-400mm L IS USM, Digital RAW 100, Hoya UV 77mm
Details: (Fill) Flash: Yes
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Travelogue: Winter Holiday Campervan Trip 2006
Theme(s): Robins of the World [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2006-11-04 20:30
Viewed: 4587
Points: 46
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
New Zealand Robin

Though superficially there is a considerable resemblance between the New Zealand bird called by this name and the true robin of Britain and Europe, the two are not related. The local species belongs to the Muscicapidae or flycatchers, whereas the robin redbreast is one of the Turdidae – the same family that includes blackbirds and song-thrushes. The common name, however, is now so well established that it is fruitless to try to replace it. Scientifically the New Zealand robin is Petroica (Miro) australis and there are four races – one in the North Island, one in the South, one on Stewart Island, and one now restricted to Little Mangere Island in the Chatham group. Differences in size and colour distinguish them. With the exception of the Chatham Island robin, which is wholly black, the other races are sooty grey on head, throat, back, and wings, and whitish or yellowish on the abdomen. Females are duller and smaller than males. Head and eyes are large and the male, in particular, is extremely tame.

Robins occur in the central forested areas of the North Island and are nowhere abundant, although they appear to be maintaining their numbers. Outside of these areas they are rare or absent in the North Island, except on Little Barrier and Kapiti Islands where they are common. In the South Island they are rare in the east south of Marlborough and are absent from a considerable part of Westland. They are locally common on Stewart Island and occur on some of its off-lying islets. On Little Mangere, the Chatham Islands robin population was under 100 at the last count and is in danger of extinction.

As well as being insectivorous, robins eat worms and readily pick up scraps around camp and picnic sites. Much of their time is spent upon the ground searching for food. The breeding season is from October to February. Males defend a territory and the females build a cup-shaped nest in which they incubate two or three eggs for about 18 days.

Robin habitat is usually tall native forest, though nowadays it may sometimes include plantations of introduced pines. Manuka scrub in the vicinity of forest may also be occupied.

The clear sustained song, with its richness and variety of phrasing, is perhaps the finest possessed by any native species.

IMAGE INFORMATION

Camera: Canon 20D
Time of day: 2:08 p.m.
Date: 24th July 2006
Weather conditions: Clear
Lens: Canon 100-400mm L IS
Filter: Hoya 77mm UV
Shutter Speed: 1/60
F-Stop: F/5.6
Focal Length: 310mm
ISO: 100
Support: Hand Held
External Flash: Canon 580EX Speedlite
Original file type: Digital Raw
Matt-Bird, pankajbajpai, vanderschelden, pvb, horia, Argus, SkyF, metcher, TAZ, Luc has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi Pam,

Exellent shot
Composition, Sharpness, Details, POV, DOF and BG are Perfect
Nice framing

TFS Thijs

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2006-11-04 20:53]

Hello Pam

What a serious expression on this little fellow.A beautiful composition with awesome detail and well saturated colours , right down to the lichens and moss on the branch.Excellent details in the plumage too.TFS

Rob

  • Great 
  • Ken52 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 636 W: 93 N: 1243] (4195)
  • [2006-11-04 21:23]

Outstanding composition! Lighting, sharpness, and your DOF is excellent. To get a shot of a dark subject against a dark background is challenging, but you did it perfectly!

Hi Pam,
Cute little Robin. Very nice lighting and great POV. I like it alot.
regards
Matt.

Another good one Pam.

Great composition of this dusky coloured robin.
Nice and sharp and even stands out well against the darkish background.

Well done.

hi pam
nice shot of this small bird. the pov is very good. niecly composed, the shine on the fur look great.the contrat is good.
the framing adds to the look of the picture.
well done
tfs
regards
pankaj

Hi Pam,
Good picture.
Didn't understand why flash has been used here. I can't 'immediately'calculate the exact distance but I guess flashlight can't reach so far...
Maybe that is a forum question;-)
TFS
Annick

bonjour pam
encore une petite merveille, la pose de l'oiseau,la netteté ,les details le point de vue tout est excellent.
laurent

  • Great 
  • pvb Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 385 W: 16 N: 531] (1981)
  • [2006-11-05 5:35]

Hi pam,
Nice composition and pov. I like this very much.
Great sharpness, colours and bg.
tfs paula

Hi Pam,
This is a wonderful capture of this “little-tinny-so-easily-afraid bird :-) This is excellent with good exposure and details, nice use of flash; Thanks,
Claudine

  • Great 
  • horia Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2158 W: 224 N: 4749] (16656)
  • [2006-11-05 5:50]

Hi Pam

Another very nice shot of this cute little bird!
Excellent POV and lighting, great details and lovely colors!
I particularily like the framing and the pose of the subject here :)
Great work, once again!

Bravo and TFS
Horia

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5038 W: 260 N: 15594] (50626)
  • [2006-11-05 6:23]

Hello Pam,
Another fine 'Robin' presentation.
Sharp, fine POV, well composed and suitable BG because it is blurred and dark to reflect its forest habitat, good info.: what more does the viewer want?
Thanks, Best wishes,
Ivan

Hi Pam,
I've never seen it before - but even if it hasn't a red breast I can see clearly that it's a robin. Wonderful, the feathers have a nice shine.
Thanks and greetings
Sabine - wishnugaruda

Pam,

Stunning!
Excellent!

Beatifullly done here with this bird.

TFS
tab

  • Great 
  • RAP Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2524 W: 345 N: 2373] (7405)
  • [2006-11-05 8:05]

Pretty composition my old friend with great POV and warm colors.

I like it a lot: composition, background, lighting, POV, DOF, focus, sharpness, color, framing, notes.

I don't like it: nothing to argue.

I love the takeoff that you have gotten of the bird on that wonderful background.
Best regards... Ricardo

  • Great 
  • SkyF Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2234 W: 188 N: 1912] (8073)
  • [2006-11-05 8:11]

Hello Pam,
Lovely capture, great colors and nice details. Sharpness is perfect and excellent POV. Great composition.
TFS..Sky

Hi, Pam.
Lovely bird. I like the pose with long leg and branch. Good exposure and sharpness. Nice BG.

  • Great 
  • TAZ Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2241 W: 47 N: 3167] (10926)
  • [2006-11-06 1:32]

Hello Pam,
A cute Robin in a simple and smart composition. I would like to caress him ;-) Sharpness is excellent for 310mm handheld... Exposure, colors, POV and DOF are also great. Useful note too...
Congratulations my friend and thanks for sharing.

Hi Pam,
Superb composition with nice PoV...
Image appears to my monitor a little bit dark but overall it's okay...
Regards,
Musin

Hello Pam,

Nice composition for this robin! I like also the diagonal formed by the branch. Sadly, the dark bg don't enhance the bird (dark over dark) but we don't have control on anything, isn't it? Great picture and TFS,

Michel

  • Great 
  • sela Silver Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 47 W: 0 N: 39] (738)
  • [2006-11-08 14:00]

A wonderful portrait of a sweet little bird.I love the framing, too.
Regards Rose

Very nice pose and composition or framing of this cute passerine, the DOF really helps to separate the subject from the background. :)

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5137 W: 166 N: 13121] (49139)
  • [2007-01-22 11:50]

Pam,

Only one word (Everything is said):
FANTASTIC!

TFS, Peter

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