April COOPER, Flame Robin 227 1970 ] The Flame Robin on Wilson's Promontory By Roy P. Cooper*, Melbourne. SUMMARY Although the Flame Robin, Petroica phoenicea, breeds on Wilson's Promontory and the off-shore islands, there is no evidence of migration to Tasmania. It would appear that Wilson's Promontory and the adjacent grasslands, possibly to the timbered fringe of the Yanakie foot­ hills, constitute a complete community for a large population of Flame Robins. The huge isolated mass of Devonian granite of the Promontory, with the Pleistocene and Recent sands of the Yanakie isthmus, make an area that is unique in south-eastern Australia. The unusual nesting sites on Mount Oberon indicate a natural nesting adaptation to the changed environment on Wilson's Promontory, and the number of nests placed in Leptospermum juniperinum is unique in the published nesting records of the Flame: Robin. HISTORICAL Between the visit to Wilson's Promontory of Gregory and Lucas (1885) in 1885 and 1961, there have been only four reports of the occurrence of the Flame Robin, Petroica phoenicea, in that area. C. McLennan has left a typed list of the birds (unpublished) dated March 5, 1909, on which the Flame Robin is merely listed. A. G. Campbell (1937) gave no details of the species beyond stating that "During a week's walking holiday recently I was able to add another ten (species) namely:-Flame Robin, Petroica phoenicea-". In January 1950, W. B. Hitchcock took part in a visit by members of the National Museum of Victoria, the results being recorded on a typed schedule that is now in the archives of the National Museum. The only comment about the Flame Robin was "Mount Oberon and slopes, 3, Feb. 1." There is an additional hand-written note "(spm. ad. male Lighthouse track 13/6/ 54)". The final report was made by J. Ros Garnet (1954), who wrote the report on the visit of the Victorian National Parks Association to Wilson's Promontory, and quoted "Among them was a Flame breasted Robin found by Miss Wigan, June 12 to 14, 1954". The paucity of the records (two published and two unpublished) of the Flame Robin from Wilson's Promontory is typical of the lack of ornithological reports that have been made prior to 1961. In the early part of this century it was accepted by ornithologists on the mainland that the Flame Robin made an annual migration between Tasmania and Victoria. In 1900 A. J. Campbell (1900) wrote "On the approach of spring (September) they all disappear as mysteriously as they arrive. They, no doubt, go to their breeding haunts, which would seem to be chiefly Tasmania and the intermediate islands. A few *Committee of Management, Wilson's Promontory National Park. 228 COOPER, Flame Robin [ Bird Watcher remain on the mainland, or retire to breed on the uplands of the Great Dividing Range and adjacent spurs". During the intervening years reports of the movements of this species have been fragmentary and confusing. Flame Robins have been observed in Bass Strait from ships a few miles off the shore. In one instance the birds were seen from a fishing boat some three miles from Airey's Inlet, and it appeared to be an autumn migration from Tasmania. However, other birds were seen, again from a ship near the Victorian coast, between the months of September and December, "streaking to Victoria from Tasmania", that is, going in the wrong direction for the time of the year. (Chisholm, 1960). Others have been observed "landing on the beach in an exhausted (?) state". This condition is merely in the eyes of the observer and need not be related to fact. As Wilson's Promontory is part of the old land-bridge, of which many residual islands remain, that connected Tasmania with the mainland, it was thought that the promontory would be an important migration route for the Flame Robin, as well as other migrants. However, Michael Sharland, in his book on Tasmanian birds (1958) refuses to accept the theory of the mainland migration of the Flame Robin and states "some birds are said to migrate across Bass Strait to the mainland". These doubting remarks, made by an authority on Tasmanian birds, indicate our lack of knowledge of the movements of this species. A. H. Chisholm is also sceptical and states, "This species is common in Tasmania and there may be some migration between that island and Victoria", (Cayley, 1966). To add to the confusion, the Flame Robin breeds during the spring and summer months, in cleared areas on the mountain tops of New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania. In the colder months there is an altitudinal migration to the open lowlands, which extends into South Australia. The early records, and the confusion relating to the movement of these birds, indicated that only a few stray Robins visited Wilson's Promontory National Park, and there was no evidence of their migration to Tasmania. It appeared that this area was of little or no importance for their survival. MIGRATION This was the position when I first observed the Flame Robin on Wilson's Promontory, in January 1961. At that time I recorded it as being "Common in pairs", and in April 1961, "Common in pairs and small parties around the camp, and along the road up to Mount Oberon". Each of these observations exceeded the total number of Flame Robins recorded by all observers during the past 76 years in this national park. During April 1965. the number observed had increased to "50+ on road to Miller's Landing, Vereker, St. Kilda Junction, Round­ backed Hill, etc.; also two pairs on Telegraph Saddle". These reports for the autumn months appeared to indicate that the birds were returning from Tasmania, where they would, April COOPER, Flame Robin 229 1970 ] presumably, have nested. Nevertheless, the January observation indicated a very late nesting if the birds were to cross to Tasmania or, possibly, no breeding for that season. However, the formation of the Bird Survey Group, under the authority, and with the full support, of the Committee of Manage­ ment of Wilson's Promontory National Park and the implemen­ tation of regular monthly surveys with the assistance of experienced observers, has resulted in many interesting and pertinent observa­ tions being recorded. Within the next three years the evidence showed that the Robins stayed on the Promontory for the spring, summer and autumn months, and, latterly, it is obvious that they winter on the Yanakie and adjacent farmlands; even on the Yanakie section of the Park. There is no evidence to support the theory that Flame Robins depart from, or arrive at, the Promontory from Tasmania. In an endeavour to trace the movements of these birds some were banded by registered banders, but the results were negative. Small parties of Flame Robins have been seen at the Lighthouse, and it was assumed that they were making ready to fly across the Strait. However, there are other records that reveal that they moved northward along Oberon, Norman and Picnic beaches, indicating that the birds, after arriving at the southern extremity of the Promontory, had moved around the coast in to the mountains and slopes of the area. This is the normal behaviour with any species of bird that arrives at a sea-board boundary. Where the land meets the water there is no physical barrier for airborne birds, and there are many records of birds flying out to sea in a direction where there is no land for hundreds of miles; and other sightings of their return. Undoubtedly, the Flame Robin visits the islands adjacent to the Promontory, that is, Norman Island, Rabbit Island, Glennie and Anser Groups, Shellback and Wattle Islands; even Benison and Granite Islands in Corner Inlet, etc. However, lack of the means to regularly visit these islands, as well as the great difficulty of landing on many of them, prevent accurate records being made. They nest freely on Flinders Island, where "they have readily adapted to the man-made environment". One nest was built at a height of seven feet near a coastal lagoon. They were "common throughout the island" during the visits of R. H. Green in March and September, but "They are not common in the winter months", as recorded by D. M. Rhodes (Green 1969). Undoubtedly, there is some movement of Flame Robins between islands, especially along the old land-bridge. Whether the majority of the Robins on Flinders Island choose Tasmania's grasslands on which to winter, or travel much longer distances to the grass­ lands beyond Wilson's Promontory, is a problem that remains to be solved. 230 COOPER, Flame Robin [ Bird Watcher DISTRIBUTION ON WILSON'S PROMONTORY The maximum period that the Flame Robins appear to vacate the National Park, including the Yanakie addition, is about four weeks in June/July. In some years they are present on the low­ lands throughout the winter. In 1968 the survey was suspended for six months, during the writer's absence overseas, but on the first visit when the survey was recommenced, July 6, 1968, the Robins were in all areas, from the aerodrome right across the promontory to the Five Mile Beach. From the grasslands and heathlands of Yanakie and Vereker these birds move up to the mountain-tops or around the coastline. On the western side they follow the roadway or the beaches, some dropping out en route to Tongue Point, Whisky Creek, Telegraph Saddle up to Mount Oberon; across to Windy Saddle and up to Mount Wilson, or over the final range and down to the Light­ house.