Scarlet Robins inhabit the drier eucalypt forests of southern Australia and Tasmania, ranging from the granite belt of far SE Queensland around to near Adelaide - they also occur in far SW Western Australia. They used to occur on Eyre Peninsula in S.A. but are extinct or very rare there now. The birds that visit the Mt Lofty ranges in winter appear to be migrants from Tasmania.

A few people have difficulty in distinguishing Scarlet from Flame Robin males - quite simple really, Scarlet has a black throat, Flame doesn't. Females and immatures need a bit more careful observation to tell apart. In Australia, there are three subspecies, essentially one in the east, another in Tasmania and a third in W.A. - the W.A. form used to extend to Eyre Peninsula and is still found together with eastern birds on Kangaroo Island. Of the various females the W.A. subspecies campbelli is the most distinctive with much more pink on the breast than eastern birds.(see 380004)

Scarlet Robins once adult live as pairs in permanent territories, usually in wooded areas, but in winter some birds do move out into more open country.