Brown Treecreeper
Climacteris picumnus
A brownish treecreeper with a pale eyebrow and pale gray throat and chest. Pale gray streaks on brownish belly. In flight shows a broad buff wing-bar. Works its way up the tree trunks but also perches on stumps and sometimes forages on the ground. Favors more open country than White-throated Treecreeper. Makes a loud, repetitive, short, whistling call.
Identification
Adult birds are around 16.5 centimetres (6.5 in) long, with a wingspan of 26 centimetres (10 in), and weigh on average around 31.5 grams (1.11 oz). Adult plumage is light grey-brown above with light grey face and neck, darker grey on the crown with dark ear-coverts. The supercilium is prominent and pale on adults, while grey and indistinct on juveniles. The throat is cream to white and pale brown on the breast. The lower breast is streaked with fine black-grey and white. In flight a dark wing-bar is visible. Sexes of the species differ in plumage, with the uppermost breast of the male streaked black and white, while the female has rufous and white streaking. Juvenile plumage is different from that on the adult with the hind-neck, nape, crown and forehead darker than that of adult males.<p>The call has been described as a spink spink.
Taxonomy
Coenraad Jacob Temminck and Meiffren Laugier de Chartrouse described the brown treecreeper in 1824, and it still bears its original name today. It is one of six species of treecreeper found in Australia, and is most closely related to the rufous treecreeper (Climacteris rufus) of Western Australia and the black-tailed treecreeper (C. melanurus). All three occupy similar savannah and open woodland habitat, and have a sexually dimorphic marking on the upper breast or throat (black in the male, reddish in the female). They are thought to have been separated by breaks in suitable habitat in the past and hence diverged genetically.<p>Three subspecies have been described – subspecies picumnus is broadly distributed from the Grampians, Victoria, through central New South Wales to the Bunya Mountains, Queensland. The subspecies can be found in coastal catchments and drier areas on and west of the Great Divide, intergrading with subspecies victoriae, which is found on the Great Dividing Range from south-east Queensland to the Grampians, Victoria. Subspecies melanotus occurs from Cape York Peninsula south to near Cooktown, Queensland. Known as the black treecreeper, it has distinctive sooty brown plumage and is slightly smaller than the southern subspecies.<p>Woodpecker is a colloquial name, from its habit of spiralling up treetrunks.
- Scientific name
- Climacteris picumnus
- Authority
- Temminck, 1824
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Climacteridae
- Genus
- Climacteris
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
The conservation status of the brown treecreeper is considered of "least concern" by the IUCN, while the subspecies victoriae, is listed in New South Wales as Vulnerable under Schedule 2 of the Threatened Species Conservation Act (1995). Subspecies victoriae is listed as nationally Vulnerable by DCCEEW (Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water), under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (1999).
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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Todiramphus tutus
A pale kingfisher with clean white underparts, neck, and forehead and a light greenish-blue cap, cheek, and upperparts. A thin dark line extends from behind the cheek around the neck. Prefers primary forest, especially around highland streams, but adaptable, occurring in a variety of habitats. Overlaps with Society Kingfisher, but differs in its white eyebrow and brighter, paler plumage. Voice is a repeated “kee-kee-kee-kee” running into a raucous chatter.
Lesser Antillean Swift
Chaetura martinica
An aerial feeder that is typically found over highland forests in flocks of up to forty birds; sometimes feeds at lower altitudes, particularly during inclement weather. Its stubby dark-gray body and rapid, shallow wingbeats eliminates all swallows. Short-tailed Swift is similar, but has a gray vent and gray rump, which contrasts more markedly against its dark body than Lesser Antillean Swift. Very rarely found when not flying. Call is a high, sharp twitter.
Zenaida Dove
Zenaida aurita
Local and often rather wary dove of fairly open coastal habitats, such as beach dunes with desert scrub, overgrown fields, town edges. Resembles widespread Mourning Dove of North America, but slightly stockier, with a shorter and squared tail. Feeds on the ground, but most often seen in flight, which is fast and direct, usually rather low over the treetops. Best field mark is the white trailing edge to the inner part of the wing, usually quite distinct in flight.
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