White-browed scrubwren

Appearance

Mainland birds measure 11.5 cm in length and olive brown upperparts, with prominent pale irises and a white brow. The throat is white with faint streaks in the subspecies "frontalis" and "laevigaster" and heavily spotted in "maculatus". Ear coverts are grey in "frontalis" and black in "laevigaster", and brownish in the other two subspecies. The underparts are pale, though buff in "laevigaster". The thin bill is black. The Females are duller overall and generally have pale gray lores, whereas males have blackish lores. This allows most individuals to be reliably sexed in the field. The call is a loud high-pitched "ts-cheer".

Distribution

The species favours forested or scrubby areas with plentiful undergrowth, from which it rarely ventures. It is a common bird in bushland areas around Sydney, and the New England Tablelands. It is sedentary.

Behavior

Scrubwrens are predominantly insectivorous. They can be hard to spot but are very vocal and easy to localise. They occur in small groups of up to six birds and engage in cooperative breeding; namely that group members all help to feed and rear the young.

Habitat

The species favours forested or scrubby areas with plentiful undergrowth, from which it rarely ventures. It is a common bird in bushland areas around Sydney, and the New England Tablelands. It is sedentary.

Reproduction

Breeding season is June or July to November or December, with the nest a domelike structure of dried grasses and leaves, sticks, bark and ferns and feathers for lining. It is placed near or on the ground in dense cover. A clutch of two or three 20 x 15 mm eggs is laid; they vary from brownish-violet to brownish-white in colour with darker spots or blotches. The Tasmanian scrubwren lays larger eggs some 23 x 17 mm in dimensions.