Melanodryas cucullata

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Megaclassis: Osteichthyes
Cladus: Sarcopterygii
Cladus: Rhipidistia
Cladus: Tetrapodomorpha
Cladus: Eotetrapodiformes
Cladus: Elpistostegalia
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Cladus: Reptiliomorpha
Cladus: Amniota
Classis: Reptilia
Cladus: Eureptilia
Cladus: Romeriida
Subclassis: Diapsida
Cladus: Sauria
Infraclassis: Archosauromorpha
Cladus: Crurotarsi
Divisio: Archosauria
Cladus: Avemetatarsalia
Cladus: Ornithodira
Subtaxon: Dinosauromorpha
Cladus: Dinosauriformes
Cladus: Dracohors
Cladus: Dinosauria
Ordo: Saurischia
Cladus: Eusaurischia
Subordo: Theropoda
Cladus: Neotheropoda
Cladus: Averostra
Cladus: Tetanurae
Cladus: Avetheropoda
Cladus: Coelurosauria
Cladus: Tyrannoraptora
Cladus: Maniraptoromorpha
Cladus: Maniraptoriformes
Cladus: Maniraptora
Cladus: Pennaraptora
Cladus: Paraves
Cladus: Eumaniraptora
Cladus: Avialae
Infraclassis: Aves
Cladus: Euavialae
Cladus: Avebrevicauda
Cladus: Pygostylia
Cladus: Ornithothoraces
Cladus: Ornithuromorpha
Cladus: Carinatae
Parvclassis: Neornithes
Cohors: Neognathae
Cladus: Neoaves
Cladus: Telluraves
Cladus: Australaves
Ordo: Passeriformes
Subordo: Passeri
Infraordo: Corvida
Superfamilia: Corvoidea

Familia: Petroicidae
Genus: Melanodryas
Species: Melanodryas cucullata
Subspecies: M. c. cucullata - M. c. melvillensis - M. c. picata - M. c. westralensis
Name

Melanodryas cucullata (Latham, 1802)
References

Supplementum indicis ornithologici p.li
Vernacular names
English: Hooded Robin
suomi: Huppusieppo

The hooded robin (Melanodryas cucullata) is a small passerine bird native to Australia. Like many brightly coloured robins of the Petroicidae, it is sexually dimorphic; the male bears a distinctive black-and-white plumage, while the female is a nondescript grey-brown.
Taxonomy

Like all Australian robins, it is not closely related to either the European robin or the American robin, but belongs rather to the Corvida parvorder comprising many tropical and Australian passerines, including pardalotes, fairy-wrens, and honeyeaters, as well as crows. Initially thought to be related to Old World flycatchers, it was described as Muscicapa cucullata by the English ornithologist John Latham in 1801.[2] Later described as Grallina bicolor by Nicholas Aylward Vigors and Thomas Horsfield,[3] it was later placed in the genus Petroica for many years before being transferred to Melanodryas.[4]

The generic name melanodryas derives from the Greek melas 'black' and dryas 'wood-nymph'. The specific name cucullata derives from Late Latin cucullatus meaning 'hooded'.[5]
Description

The hooded robin is around 16 cm (6 in) in length. The male has a distinctive pied coloration; with a black head and neck ("hood"), white chest and underparts, and black wings with white wing bars. The eyes, bill, and feet are also black. The female is an undistinguished grey-brown above, with a pale grey throat and paler underneath, and dark brown wings and white wing bars. Juveniles are similar to females.[6]
Distribution

It is found across the Australian continent, though not in Cape York nor Tasmania; its natural habitat is Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation.
Breeding

Breeding season is July to November with one or two broods raised. The nest is a neat cup made of soft, dry grass and bark. Spider webs, feathers, and fur are used for binding/filling, generally in a tree crevice, hollow or fork. The clutch generally consists of two pale olive- or bluish-green eggs, with darker spots and blotches, measuring 21 mm × 16 mm (0.83 in × 0.63 in).[7]
Conservation status

Hooded robins are not listed as threatened on the Australian Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. However, their conservation status varies from state to state within Australia. For example:

The hooded robin is listed as threatened on the Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act (1988).[8] Under this Act, an Action Statement for the recovery and future management of this species has not yet been prepared.[9]
On the 2013 advisory list of threatened vertebrate fauna in Victoria, the hooded robin is listed as near threatened.[10]

References

BirdLife International (2017). "Melanodryas cucullata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017: e.T22704837A118832667. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T22704837A118832667.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
Latham, John (1801). Supplementum indicis ornithologici sive systematis ornithologiae (in Latin). London: Leigh & Sotheby. p. li.
Vigors, N.A.; Horsfield, T. (1827). "A description of the Australian birds in the collection of the Linnean Society; with an attempt at arranging them according to their natural affinities (Part 1)". Transactions of the Linnean Society of London. 15 (1): 170–331 [233]. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8339.1826.tb00115.x. The title page of the issue has the year 1826.
Mayr, Ernst (1986). "Family Eopsaltriidae, Australasian robins". In Mayr, Ernst; Cottrell, G. William (eds.). Check-list of Birds of the World, Volume 11. Vol. 11. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Museum of Comparative Zoology. p. 566.
Jobling, James A. "Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird-names". Retrieved 2020-04-07.
Simpson K, Day N, Trusler P (1993). Field Guide to the Birds of Australia. Ringwood, Victoria: Viking O'Neil. p. 392. ISBN 0-670-90478-3.
Beruldsen, G (2003). Australian Birds: Their Nests and Eggs. Kenmore Hills, Qld: self. p. 337. ISBN 0-646-42798-9.
Department of Sustainability and Environment, Victoria Archived 2005-07-18 at the Wayback Machine
Department of Sustainability and Environment, Victoria Archived 2006-09-11 at the Wayback Machine
DELWP (2013), Advisory List of Threatened Vertebrate Fauna in Victoria: 2013 (PDF), Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning