15 |
![]() |
Brown TreecreeperAlternate name(s): "Black Treecreeper"; misnomer: "Woodpecker*" ![]() Size: 16-18 cm Weight: 21-42 g |
![]() |
Similar |
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
|
||||||
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
Photos |
Race "picumnus"
![]() |
ADULT |
![]() |
MALE |
Near-frontal view of a male Brown Treecreeper calling; note
the black chest markings (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Currawinya NP,
near Hungerford, QLD, October 2012]
Near-lateral view of a male Brown Treecreeper
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Currawinya NP,
near Hungerford, QLD, October 2012]
Near-lateral view of a male Brown Treecreeper
(photo courtesy of
V. Collins)
[Pilliga West SCA,
NSW, March 2021]
![]() |
FEMALE |
Near-frontal view of a female Brown Treecreeper - note
the rufous chest marking (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bowra Wildlife Sanctuary, near Cunnamulla, QLD, September 2017]
Near-frontal view of a female Brown Treecreeper calling - note
the tail action (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bowra Wildlife Sanctuary, near Cunnamulla, QLD, September 2017]
Sex unknown |
Near-frontal view of a Brown Treecreeper
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bowra Wildlife Sanctuary, near Cunnamulla, QLD, September 2017]
Close-up lateral view of a Brown Treecreeper
(photo courtesy of
V. Collins)
[Merriwindi SCA, near Kenebri, NSW, January 2021]
Lateral view of a Brown Treecreeper
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bowra Wildlife Sanctuary, near Cunnamulla, QLD, June 2022]
Near-dorsal view of a Brown Treecreeper
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bowra Wildlife Sanctuary, near Cunnamulla, QLD, June 2022]
Near-dorsal view of a Brown Treecreeper
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bowra Wildlife Sanctuary, near Cunnamulla, QLD, September 2017]
Dorsal view of a Brown Treecreeper (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Currawinya NP,
near Hungerford, QLD, October 2012]
![]() |
IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Close-up dorsal view of a juvenile(?) Brown Treecreeper
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bowra Wildlife Sanctuary, near Cunnamulla, QLD, September 2017]
Race "victoriae"
![]() |
ADULT |
![]() |
MALE |
Frontal view of a Brown Treecreeper on a tree trunk; the complete
absence of any rufous marks on this bird's chest indicates that
this is a male
[20 km South of Narrabri, NSW, May 2012]
Near-lateral view of an adult (male?) Brown Treecreeper on a dead
branch; this bird was watching over its recently fledged chicks,
one of which is shown further below
[Deriah Aboriginal Area, NSW, November 2008]
Male(?) Brown Treecreeper foraging in a yard; they are the only
species of treecreeper that regularly feeds on the ground
[Near Coonabarabran, NSW, April 2006]
The same Brown Treecreeper as shown above, now in a more upright stance
[Near Coonabarabran, NSW, April 2006]
Male(?) Brown Treecreeper climbing up a tree trunk; note the prominent
back toe, which helps give the bird a good foothold on vertical surfaces
[October 2007]
Male(?) Brown Treecreeper calling
[Eulah Creek, NSW, June 2012]
![]() |
FEMALE |
Near-frontal view of a female Brown Treecreeper on a tree trunk;
the characteristic rufous chest markings are faint, but discernible
[20 km South of Narrabri, NSW, May 2012]
Near-lateral view of a Brown Treecreeper on the ground; the clearly
visible rufous marks on the chest, between the fawn throat and
the grey band, indicate that this is a female
[Near Warialda, NSW, August 2015]
Dorsal view of a Brown Treecreeper; there is no visible diagnostic
to determine the bird's sex
[October 2008]
Brown Treecreeper hanging on to the bark of a Cypress pine tree
[20 km South of Narrabri, 2006]
The same Brown Treecreeper preening itself; the bird was
resting in this position as well, without the need for a
horizontal branch to sit on
[20 km South of Narrabri, 2006]
Brown Treecreeper launching itself into the air
[Leard State Forest, NSW, November 2013]
Relatively distant lateral view of a Brown Treecreeper; this is
the bird whose calls
were recorded on 12 June 2014
[Deriah Aboriginal Area, NSW, June 2014]
![]() |
IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Fledgling Brown Treecreeper seen from below
[Deriah Aboriginal Area, NSW, November 2008]
Juvenile Brown Treecreeper
[Leard State Forest, NSW, November 2013]
Juvenile Brown Treecreeper, upper right, waiting to be fed with what
looks like a caterpillar by one of its parents, lower left (photo
courtesy of R. Druce)
[Leard State Forest, NSW, November 2013]
Race "melanotus"
![]() |
ADULT |
Sex unknown |
Lateral view of a Brown Treecreeper
(photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Tropical Wetlands Forever Wild Shared Earth Reserve, Cape York
peninsula, QLD, December 2019]
![]() |
Breeding information |
Breeding season: Jun - Jan | Eggs: 2 - 3 | Incubation period: 16-17 days | Fledging age: 20-25 days |
Nest building: ? | Incubation: Female | Dependent care: Family clan |
The family clan, including young from a previous brood, will also feed the incubating female.
![]() |
Nest |
"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal] |
Type: Tree hollow | Material: Grass or bark lining | Height above ground: 1 - ? m |
All species of Australian treecreepers build grass (and/or bark) nests inside tree hollows, either in tree trunks or dead limbs.
Brown Treecreeper at the entrance of its nest hollow; this is one of the
birds whose alarm
calls were recorded on 9 September 2015
[20 km South of Narrabri, NSW, September 2015]
Brown Treecreeper bringing a juicy larva for one of its chicks
[20 km South of Narrabri, NSW, September 2015]
One of the two Brown Treecreeper chicks peeking out of the opening,
revealing that it is close to fledging age; this is one of two
chicks whose begging
calls were recorded on 9 September 2015
[20 km South of Narrabri, NSW, September 2015]
Two Brown Treecreeper chicks approaching fledging age peeking
out of their nest hollow (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Bowra Wildlife Sanctuary, SW QLD, October 2012]
Brown Treecreeper chicks peeking out of the nest hollow (photo
courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay South, East Gippsland, VIC, October 2015]
This Brown Treecreeper chick can hardly wait to take off
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay South, East Gippsland, VIC, October 2015]
Brown Treecreeper on a dead tree limb with its nest inside
[Pilliga scrub,
NSW, December 2018]
Look into the hollow with a Brown Treecreeper nest inside
[Pilliga scrub,
NSW, December 2018]
![]() |
Eggs |
"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay] |
Size: 23 x 18 mm | Colour: White, with mid-brown speckles | Shape: Tapered oval |
![]() |
Behaviour |
Social behaviour: Territorial | Mobility: Sedentary | Elementary unit: Pair |
Of the treecreepers known to us, the Brown Treecreeper is the only one that spends a significant amount of time on the ground.
![]() |
Food, Diet |
Like all treecreepers, Brown Treecreepers forage for insects in the bark of trees and fallen timber. Brown Treecreepers also forage on the ground.
Near-dorsal view of a Brown Treecreeper with its prey, a spider
[Near Warialda, NSW, August 2015]
Juvenile Brown Treecreeper looking for insects in the bark of an
ironbark eucalypt
[Leard State Forest, NSW, November 2013]
![]() |
Call(s)/Song |
For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The
interpretation of their meaning is our own;
comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.
brtrcrp_20211031.m4a |
picumnus (NW NSW) |
Warning/alarm calls(?) | © MD | |
brtrcrp_20170919.m4a |
picumnus (SW QLD) |
Female in nest hollow, leaves, joins warning male | © MD | |
brtrcrp_20141023.mp3 |
victoriae (NW NSW) |
Contact calls (quick) | © MD | |
brtrcrp_20140612.mp3 |
victoriae (NW NSW) |
Contact calls (quick) | © MD | |
brtrcrp_20210320.m4a |
victoriae (NW NSW) |
Warning calls (pair) | © MD | |
brtrcrp_20200815.m4a |
victoriae (NW NSW) |
Alarm calls (pair) | © MD | |
brtrcrp_20210320_2.m4a |
victoriae (NW NSW) |
Alarm calls | © MD | |
brtrcrp_20200815_2.m4a |
victoriae (NW NSW) |
? (pair) | © MD |
More Brown Treecreeper sound recordings are available at
xeno-canto.org
.