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Large-billed Scrubwren (Sericornis magnirostris) Aboriginal name(s): Race "viridior": "jarrgim" [ngadjon] Size: 12-13 cm Body mass: 8-12 g

Australia: Family Group 17 Family Group 17 Table Spotted Pardalote Forty-spotted Pardalote Red-browed Pardalote Striated Pardalote Large-billed Scrubwren Atherton Scrubwren White-browed Scrubwren Spotted Scrubwren Tasmanian Scrubwren Yellow-throated Scrubwren Pilotbird Rock Warbler Chestnut-rumped Heathwren Shy Heathwren Striated Fieldwren Rufous Fieldwren Fernwren Scrubtit Speckled Warbler Redthroat Western Gerygone Brown Gerygone Mangrove Gerygone Dusky Gerygone Large-billed Gerygone Green-backed Gerygone Fairy Gerygone White-throated Gerygone Weebill Yellow Thornbill Striated Thornbill Buff-rumped Thornbill Yellow-rumped Thornbill Western Thornbill Slender-billed Thornbill Chestnut-rumped Thornbill Brown Thornbill Inland Thornbill Slaty-backed Thornbill Tasmanian Thornbill Mountain Thornbill Southern Whiteface Chestnut-breasted Whiteface Banded Whiteface Thumbnails page Family group table Index of bird names Habitat pages Key plants Birds home page

Similar species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description Large-billed Scrubwrens are small birds found in wet forest. They have a brown cap and more greyish-brown back. The wings have dark-grey coverts and brownish flight feathers. The entire front, from throat to undertail coverts, is creamy to buff. Their irises are orange. The relatively long, black bill is pointed slightly upwards; the legs and feet are greyish-pink.

Taxonomy, classification See Large-billed Scrubwren at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the Large-billed Scrubwren is available HERE . There are 3 extant races of Large-billed Scrubwrens, which are endemic to eastern Australia, populating much of the East coast, down to the southern tip of the continent. The range of race "viridior" extends from about Cape Melville to South of Cairns. Farther South, from the Burdekin River, QLD, all the way along the East coast to the NSW/VIC border, is the range of nominate race "magnirostris". Race "howei" is found only in parts of south-eastern VIC, eastward of Melbourne, VIC. Large-billed Scrubwrens have a preference for dense, wet forest, including rainforest. They are rarely found on the ground, but instead prefer to be on tree trunks or vines of the lower to middle storey.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "magnirostris" We first spotted Large-billed Scrubwrens, race "magnirostris", at Dorrigo NP, NSW, in January 2011. C. Hayne reports spotting Large-billed Scrubwrens, race "magnirostris", (in large mixed flocks with White-browed Scrubwrens) at Dorrigo NP in May 2013. A. Ross-Taylor reports spotting a Large-billed Scrubwren, race "magnirostris", in dense forest near a creek at Springbrook NP, Mt. Cougal section, Gold Coast, QLD, in July 2013. They were seen there again and at Tamborine NP in May 2014. E. Scott reports finding Large-billed Scrubwrens, race "magnirostris", breeding in Roseberry Creek Valley, near Toonumbar NP, northern NSW, in August 2016. M. Eaton found a Large-billed Scrubwren, race "magnirostris", in a gully at the Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, in March 2019. Others were found at Maleny, QLD, in November 2021, and at Pullenvale, QLD, in October 2023. R. Plumtree reports spotting a Large-billed Scrubwren, race "magnirostris", at Mt. Nunniong, East Gippsland, VIC, in April 2019. This location is at the southern end of their distribution. Race "viridior" B. Hensen reports spotting a Large-billed Scrubwren, race "viridior", at Kingfisher Park, Julatten, QLD, in November 2018.

Photos

Race "magnirostris"

ADULT

Sex unknown

Frontal/ventral view of a Large-billed Scrubwren (photo courtesy of C. Hayne)
[Dorrigo NP, NSW, May 2013]

Near-frontal view of a Large-billed Scrubwren (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Mt. Nunniong, East Gippsland, VIC, April 2019]

Near-frontal view of a Large-billed Scrubwren; note the long, slightly upcurved bill (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Mt. Nunniong, East Gippsland, VIC, April 2019]

Near-lateral view of a Large-billed Scrubwren stretching its wings (photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Tamborine NP, QLD, May 2014]

Lateral view of a Large-billed Scrubwren wagging its tail (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Maleny, QLD, November 2021]

Partly obscured lateral view of a Large-billed Scrubwren in dense undergrowth
[Dorrigo NP, NSW, January 2011]

Near-dorsal view of a Large-billed Scrubwren (photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Springbrook NP, QLD, May 2014]

Near-dorsal/ventral view of a Large-billed Scrubwren (photo courtesy of C. Hayne)
[Dorrigo NP, NSW, May 2013]

Dorsal view of a Large-billed Scrubwren (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Maleny, QLD, November 2021]

Partly obscured dorsal view of a Large-billed Scrubwren
[Tamborine NP, QLD, May 2014]

Race "viridior"

ADULT

Sex unknown

Frontal view of a Large-billed Scrubwren (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Kingfisher Park, Julatten, QLD, November 2018]

Breeding information

Breeding season: Jun - Oct

Eggs: 3 - 4

Incubation period: ?

Fledging age: ?

Nest

"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal]

Type: Domed hanging bottle

Material: Rootlets, vines, moss, lichen, webs

Height above ground: 1 - 5? m

Large-billed Scrubwren nest seen from underneath (photo courtesy of E. Scott)
[Roseberry Creek Valley, near Toonumbar NP, northern NSW, August 2016]

Here one of the owners of the Large-billed Scrubwren nest shown above (photo courtesy of E. Scott)
[Roseberry Creek Valley, near Toonumbar NP, northern NSW, August 2016]

Eggs

"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay]

Size: 19 x 15 mm

Colour: Off-white, with some light-brown speckles, plus lots of dark-grey spots near thick end

Shape: Tapered oval

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Territorial

Mobility: Sedentary

Elementary unit: Pair

Large-billed Scrubwrens are rarely found on the ground, but instead prefer to be on tree trunks or vines of the lower to middle storey.

Near-lateral view of a preening Large-billed Scrubwren (photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Tamborine NP, QLD, May 2014]

Near-lateral view of a prenning Large-billed Scrubwren
[Tamborine NP, NSW, May 2013]

Food, Diet

Large-billed Scrubwren prying loose a piece of bark in its hunt for insects (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Mt. Nunniong, East Gippsland, VIC, April 2019]

Lateral view of a Large-billed Scrubwren approaching a water hole (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Pullenvale, QLD, October 2023]

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.

The identification of the call below is not 100% certain.

lbscrwr_art_20131125_2.m4a	magnirostris (SE QLD)	Contact call?	© ART
lbscrwr_art_20131125.m4a	magnirostris (SE QLD)	Pair Q&A	© ART
lbscrwr_20140524.mp3	magnirostris (SE QLD)	Q&A	© MD
lbscrwr_20140520.mp3	magnirostris (N NSW)	Alarm call(?)	© MD
lbscrwr_20140520_2.mp3	magnirostris (N NSW)	?	© MD
lbscrwr_20140520_4.mp3	magnirostris (N NSW)	?	© MD
lbscrwr_20140520_5.mp3	magnirostris (N NSW)	?	© MD
lbscrwr_20140520_7.mp3	magnirostris (N NSW)	?	© MD

More Large-billed Scrubwren sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

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