Tales of origin of Petroica’s “red” breasts

Male Scarlet Robin (Petroica boodang)

Whilst red-breasted “robins” are not unique to Australia, I though I might put a brief post on Aboriginal tales of their origins as I found it interesting when emailed today:

1. Along the Murray River, the Yorta Yorta people say that the robin was once a young boy who was fed by his big sister when her husband was away hunting. However, she could only feed him by withholding some food from her own children. When her husband returned from a hunting trip and found the boy eating meat, he was enraged, and in a fury he threw glowing hot coals from the fire at the boy. They landed on his chest, scalding him, and the red scars persist to this day.
2. In the Gippsland region of eastern Victoria, people of the Kurnai/Gunnai nation say that once, during a long and severe drought, the robin found a supply of water in a tree, but instead of telling others about it, he selfishly kept it for himself. One day when he was splashing about in the water, a Tawny Frogmouth passed by and heard the splashing sound coming from a hollow in the tree. The frogmouth quickly blocked up the entrance to the hollow, trapping the robin inside. Pleading to be released, the robin eventually agreed to share his water. However, when the frogmouth cut a new hole in the tree, he accidentally cut the robin’s breast, which bled profusely.
3. Similarly, blood is the cause of the robin’s red breast in south-western Australia, where the Noongar people say that the robin got into a fight with a feisty Willie Wagtail. During the altercation, the Willie struck the robin on the nose (or was it his beak?), causing it to bleed, and the blood spilled all down his front.