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17

White-browed Scrubwren

(Sericornis frontalis)
Alternate name(s): "Buff-breasted Scrubwren", "Brown Scrubwren*", "Spotted Scrubwren"
Aboriginal name(s): Race "laevigaster": "gubiriyam" [ngadjon];
"binkimom", "kikal" (WA)

Size: 11-13 cm
Weight: 8-13 g

Similar
species

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

Physical description

Click here for a physical description

Taxonomy, classification

See White-browed Scrubwren at Wikipedia .

Click here for classification information

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Photos

Race "frontalis"

ADULT

MALE

Frontal view of a male(?) White-browed Scrubwren
[Munghorn Gap NR, NSW, December 2015]

Close-up lateral view of a male(?) White-browed Scrubwren (photo courtesy of I. Duncan)
[Melbourne Botanical Gardens, VIC, July 2012]

FEMALE

Frontal view of a female White-browed Scrubwren foraging on the ground (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Near Swifts Creek, East Gippsland, VIC, September 2014]

Near-frontal view of a female White-browed Scrubwren (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Near Swifts Creek, East Gippsland, VIC, September 2014]

Lateral view of a female White-browed Scrubwren (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Near Swifts Creek, East Gippsland, VIC, September 2014]

Lateral view of a female White-browed Scrubwren foraging on the ground (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Near Swifts Creek, East Gippsland, VIC, September 2014]

Lateral view of a female(?) White-browed Scrubwren
[Drip Gorge, Goulburn River NP, NSW, December 2015]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Adult female White-browed Scrubwren with two juvenile birds (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Near Swifts Creek, East Gippsland, VIC, October 2014]

Close-up lateral view of one juvenile White-browed Scrubwren (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Near Swifts Creek, East Gippsland, VIC, October 2014]

Adult female(?) White-browed Scrubwren, right, with a fledgling bird, left (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[St. Alban's, NSW, August 2013]

Race "tweedi"

ADULT

MALE

Close-up full-frontal view of a male White-browed Scrubwren
[Mt. Kaputar NP, NSW, August 2015]

Frontal view of a male White-browed Scrubwren; note the prominent white supercilium
[Mt. Kaputar NP, NSW, January 2023]

Close-up near-frontal view of a male White-browed Scrubwren
[Mt. Kaputar NP, NSW, August 2015]

Near-frontal view of a male White-browed Scrubwren (photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[O'Reilly's Plateau, Lamington NP, Gold Coast, QLD, November 2013]

Near-frontal view of a male White-browed Scrubwren (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[O'Reilly's Plateau, Lamington NP, Gold Coast, QLD, January 2020]

Close-up near-frontal view of a male White-browed Scrubwren looking sideways
[Narrabri, NSW, September 2022]

Close-up lateral view of a male White-browed Scrubwren
[Boonoo Boonoo NP, NSW, May 2014]

Lateral view of a male White-browed Scrubwren
[Mt. Kaputar NP, NSW, 2006]

FEMALE

Close-up near-lateral view of a female White-browed Scrubwren (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Lamington NP, QLD, February 2018]

Close-up lateral view of a female White-browed Scrubwren; note the faint supercilium
[Mt. Kaputar NP, NSW, January 2023]

Close-up lateral view of a female White-browed Scrubwren
[Mt. Kaputar NP, NSW, January 2023]

Dorsal view of a female(?) White-browed Scrubwren in dense rainforest
[Dorrigo NP, NSW, January 2011]

Sex unknown

White-browed Scrubwren seen from above
[Mt. Kaputar NP, NSW, 2006]

Dorsal view of a White-browed Scrubwren seen preening
[Warrabah NP, NSW, April 2014]

Dorsal view of a White-browed Scrubwren seen preening
[Warrabah NP, NSW, April 2014]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Near-frontal view of a juvenile White-browed Scrubwren (photo courtesy of R. Druce)
[Mt. Kaputar NP, NSW, May 2012]

Near-lateral view of a juvenile White-browed Scrubwren (photo courtesy of M. Windeyer)
[Warrumbungle NP, NSW, May 2020]

Lateral view of a juvenile White-browed Scrubwren
[Mt. Kaputar NP, NSW, 2006]

Lateral view of a juvenile White-browed Scrubwren (photo courtesy of R. Druce)
[Mt. Kaputar NP, NSW, May 2012]

Race "laevigaster"

ADULT

MALE

Frontal view of a male White-browed Scrubwren (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Botanical Gardens, Maleny, QLD, August 2019]

Frontal view of a male White-browed Scrubwren (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[D'Aguilar National Park, near Mount Mee, QLD, December 2019]

Frontal view from above of a male White-browed Scrubwren (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Botanical Gardens, Maleny, QLD, October 2021]

Near-frontal view of a male White-browed Scrubwren (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Botanical Gardens, Maleny, QLD, October 2021]

Near-frontal view of a male White-browed Scrubwren (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Botanical Gardens, Maleny, QLD, October 2021]

Near-frontal view of a male White-browed Scrubwren (photo courtesy of A. Campbell)
[Mount McEuen, QLD, November 2016]

Near-frontal view of a male White-browed Scrubwren issuing its call (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Botanical Gardens, Maleny, QLD, August 2019]

Near-frontal view of a male White-browed Scrubwren issuing its call (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Botanical Gardens, Maleny, QLD, October 2021]

Near-frontal view from above onto a White-browed Scrubwren (photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[O'Reilly's Plateau, Lamington NP, Gold Coast, QLD, August 2013]

Near-lateral view of a male White-browed Scrubwren (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Botanical Gardens, Maleny, QLD, October 2021]

Near-lateral view of a male White-browed Scrubwren issuing its call (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Botanical Gardens, Maleny, QLD, October 2021]

Near-lateral view of a male White-browed Scrubwren
[Washpool NP, NSW, October 2007]

Near-lateral/ventral view of a male White-browed Scrubwren (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Botanical Gardens, Maleny, QLD, August 2019]

Lateral view of a male White-browed Scrubwren (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[D'Aguilar National Park, near Mount Mee, QLD, December 2019]

Lateral view of a male White-browed Scrubwren carrying food for its chicks (photo courtesy of A. Campbell)
[Mount McEuen, QLD, July 2017]

Lateral view of a male White-browed Scrubwren (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Eungella NP, near Mackay, QLD, July 2021]

Near-dorsal/ventral view of a male White-browed Scrubwren (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Botanical Gardens, Maleny, QLD, August 2019]

FEMALE

Lateral view of a female White-browed Scrubwren; note the grey side of the head (photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Lamington NP, Gold Coast, QLD, August 2013]

Near-dorsal view of a female White-browed Scrubwren wagging its rear
[Washpool NP, NSW, October 2007]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

One of two White-browed Scrubwren chicks that fell out of a rolled-up piece of shade cloth that their parents had chosen as nest (photo courtesy of A. Campbell)
[Mount McEuen, QLD, July 2017]

Both fledgling White-browed Scrubwren chicks recovered from falling out of their nest and scrambled to safety (photo courtesy of A. Campbell)
[Mount McEuen, QLD, July 2017]

Fledgling White-browed Scrubwren chick being fed with a spider (photo courtesy of A. Campbell)
[Mount McEuen, QLD, July 2017]

Race "maculatus"

This race is also called the "Spotted Scrubwren".

ADULT

MALE

Frontal view of a male White-browed Scrubwren; note the spotted breast characterising this bird as race "maculatus"
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Cheynes Beach, Albany, WA, June 2020]

Lateral view of a male White-browed Scrubwren (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Cheynes Beach, Albany, WA, January 2015]

Dorsal view of a male White-browed Scrubwren (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Cheynes Beach, Albany, WA, January 2015]

FEMALE

Lateral view of a female White-browed Scrubwren; note that this bird is greyer than the male shown above (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Ocean Reef, Perth, WA, December 2016]

Race "ashbyi"

ADULT

Lateral view of a White-browed Scrubwren (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Seal Bay, Kangaroo Island, SA, March 2016]

View onto the cap and back of a White-browed Scrubwren (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Seal Bay, Kangaroo Island, SA, March 2016]

Breeding information

Breeding season: Aug - Dec Eggs: 2 - 3 Incubation period: ? Fledging age: ?

Nest

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

Type: Dome Material: Bark, grass, moss, lined with feathers & fur Height above ground: 0 - 2 m?

Look into a White-browed Scrubwren nest with a chick inside (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Sandy Camp Wetland, Lytton, QLD, September 2018]

Overview of a heap of leaf litter with a White-browed Scrubwren nest inside
[Near Narrabri, NSW, September 2018]

Heap of leaf litter with a White-browed Scrubwren nest inside
[Near Narrabri, NSW, September 2018]

Heap of leaf litter with a White-browed Scrubwren at the nest entrance
[Near Narrabri, NSW, September 2018]

White-browed Scrubwren nest in a shopping bag hanging in a shed (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Near Swifts Creek, East Gippsland, VIC, September 2014]

Eggs

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

Size: 20 x 16 mm Colour: Off-white, with light- to mid-brown speckles Shape: Tapered oval

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Territorial Mobility: Sedentary Elementary unit: Pair/family clan

Similar to some other bird species, White-browed Scrubwrens can become quite tame. The bird shown below was photographed inside a house.

White-browed Scrubwren inside a house (photo courtesy of R. Druce)

White-browed Scrubwren hunting for insects around a rockpool
[Mt. Kaputar NP, NSW, April 2013]

Food, Diet

Yellow-throated Scrubwrens forage through leaf litter or tree bark for small insects.

At Dorrigo National Park we observed White-browed Scrubwrens that followed larger birds working through leaf litter (such as Superb Lyrebirds and Australian Brush-Turkeys) and then opportunistically picked their prey out of the dugouts.

Near-frontal view of a White-browed Scrubwren with food for its dependent young
[Mt. Kaputar NP, NSW, January 2023]

Dorsal view of a male White-browed Scrubwren after a successful hunt in a creek bed
[Near Barraba, NSW, October 2006]

White-browed Scrubwren pulling what looks like a larva out of a crevice between rocks in a creek bed
[Mt. Kaputar NP, NSW, April 2013]

Near-dorsal view of a female White-browed Scrubwren with its catch, a spider
[Drip Gorge, Goulburn River NP, NSW, December 2015]

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.

wbrscrw_20220630.m4a frontalis
(Ctl W NSW)
Alarm calls(?) (humans) © MD
 
wbrscrw_20230825.mp3 tweedi
(NW NSW)
Contact calls?
(+ Noisy Friarbird)
© MD
wbrscrw_20160730.m4a tweedi
(NW NSW)
"Whirring call" (Q&A)
(+ Silvereye)
© MD
wbrscrw_20141107.mp3 tweedi
(NW NSW)
Warning call (human) © MD
wbrscrw_20180905.m4a tweedi
(NW NSW)
Annoyed call © MD
wbrscrw_20220918.mp3 tweedi
(NW NSW)
Various (male) © MD
wbrscrw_20220601.m4a tweedi
(NW NSW)
Various (family with juveniles) © MD
wbrscrw_20150620.mp3 tweedi
(N NSW)
Various © MD
wbrscrw_20170402.mp3 tweedi
(NW NSW)
? © MD
wbrscrw_20180131.m4a tweedi
(NW NSW)
? © MD
wbrscrw_20140124_2.mp3 tweedi
(NW NSW)
? © MD
 
wbrscrw_me_20211030.m4a laevigaster
(SE QLD)
? © ME

More White-browed 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.

Would you like to contribute photos or sound recordings to this site?
If interested, please CLICK HERE. Credits to contributors are given HERE.