The South Island Robin

For my research, I needed to find out some facts or information about the South Island Robin. To organise my research, I made a list of K - What I already know, W - What I want to know, and L - What I have learnt.

What I already know:

• It is a small bird with white patch on its chest.
• It is only found in New Zealand.

What I want to know:

• What they eat
• When they breed
• What they look like
• How small/big they are
• What behaviour they have
• Where they live (particular place)
• What conservation and threats they have

What I have learned: (Information from this websites: NZBirdsOnline and RareSpecies)

What they eat

• They are insectivorous and they eat invertebrates when drought.
• They also eat ripe fruit in summer and autumn.

When they breed

• They start nesting in July, with the last clutches laid in December.
• Only 2-4 eggs are incubated.
• Nestlings leave the nest about 3 weeks old.

What they look like

• Light grey to dark grey with a white patch on its lower chest area. 
• They have long, thin legs.

How small/big they are

• They are 10-18cm in length and they weigh about 35g.

What behaviour they have

• Male robins are territorial year-round, although their aggression towards intruders is subdued during the moult. Pairs remain in their territories most of the time, occasionally sneaking elsewhere to feed, drink or bathe. Males dominate their mates during the non-breeding season, such that pair members are occasionally found apart.
• Robins use a variety of activities to flush hidden or camouflaged prey, such as foot trembling, wing-flicking and tail-flicking. 
• Other activities of South Island robins include anting, sunbathing and pellet casting.

Where they live (particular place)

• They are found in the South Island and Stewart Islands.
• They live in a mature forest, scrub, and exotic plantation.

What conservation and threats they have

• While forest clearance for farmland during the 19th and 20th centuries resulted in loss of habitat for the South Island robin, today the main threat to its conservation is predation by introduced mammalian predators, such as feral cats, stoats, possums and ship rats. Eggs, nestlings and adult females (which carry out all incubation and brooding of young) are frequently taken during the breeding season where predators are not controlled. As a result populations become male biased. Where pest control is carried out, populations increase rapidly, and the sex ratio returns to almost 1:1 within a few years – there are usually a few more males than females.  

My experience of researching the topic 'South Island Robin' became exciting yet challenging at the same time. South Island Robin was an unfamiliar subject or topic for me. I had a vague knowledge about it because I heard it before. What I found the most challenging aspect of my research was the similarity of information that different websites had. I did not know which was the reliable or unreliable website I need to look out for. 

I had 6 questions that can widen my knowledge about researching. 

1. Why do you think some of these websites introduce/recommend other websites that are similar to their topic?
2. Where did they get their information from? Was it their own investigation or they got the original information from other websites?
3. Why do different sites have the same topic but reported it in different ways?
4. Which part of their report or investigation showed contrast?
5. What does some of the websites mean by ‘references’?
6. How are these sites contrasting each other?