17

White-browed Scrubwren (Sericornis frontalis) Alternate name(s): "Buff-breasted Scrubwren", "Brown Scrubwren*" Aboriginal name(s): Race "laevigaster": "gubiriyam" [ngadjon] Size: 11-13 cm Body mass: 8-13 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 White-browed Scrubwrens are small bushland birds. Details of their plumage depend on race. In general, they have a dark grey-brown back with black shoulder patches, brown tail with a dark-grey subterminal band and a lighter (creamy to brown) front. Their common characteristics are a broad, prominent black eye stripe with two narrower white or grey stripes above and below. The irises are yellow. The bill is dark-grey, the legs and feet are pinkish-grey. Female White-browed Scrubwrens tend to be greyer than males across all races. The bill of all races and sexes is dark-grey, the legs and feet are pinkish-grey. Juveniles have duller colours, but otherwise resemble females.

Taxonomy, classification See White-browed Scrubwren at Wikipedia . Click here for classification information Some sources list the Tasmanian Scrubwren, Sericornis humilis, as a race of the White-browed Scrubwren. We follow the approach by Pizzey & Knight, who list the Tasmanian Scrubwren as a separate species. Also several former southern and south-western races of the White-browed Scrubwren have now been split off as a new species, the Spotted Scrubwren.

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 White-browed Scrubwren is available HERE . White-browed Scrubwrens are endemic to Australia. There are eight races of White-browed Scrubwrens in Australia; for details see a field guide. They populate the eastern coastal fringe, the Great Dividing Range and the Southern Alps of the continent and the South coast, up to a point eastward of Eyre Peninsula and Kangaroo Island. White-browed Scrubwrens live in dense undergrowth of various types of vegetation, from the underbrush of eucalypt forest inland to heath, dense wet forest and saltmarshes. They can also appear in dense underbrush in urban parks and gardens. Where to look? How to find this species? If, while approaching a wooded area with copious undergrowth, one gets the impression that there is a bunch of grey mice retreating into dense shrubbery, they may just be a family clan of White-browed Scrubwrens taking cover (especially if there are chirpy calls coming from that same area.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "frontalis" R. Plumtree reports spotting White-browed Scrubwrens, nominate race "frontalis", regularly in the area of Ensay, East Gippsland, VIC. I. Duncan reports spotting White-browed Scrubwrens, race "frontalis", at the Melbourne Botanical Gardens in July 2012. In December 2015 we spotted White-browed Scrubwrens, nominate race "frontalis", right on the north-western border of their range, at Goulburn River NP, to the North of which race "tweedi" is found (see below). Together with V. Collins, we also found them at the Burrendong Arboretum in June 2021. Race "tweedi" In January and August of 2006 we first spotted White-browed Scrubwrens, race "tweedi", at Sawn Rocks, Mt. Kaputar NP, near Narrabri, NSW, where they can be found reliably. Since then we have spotted White-browed Scrubwrens, race "tweedi", in various locations on the western fringe of the Great Dividing Range, e.g. in Deriah Aboriginal Area, 30 km East of Narrabri, and near Barraba, NSW. We have not seen a White-browed Scrubwren, race "tweedi", at the places where we live(d) near Narrabri, NSW, in open farmland (neither 20 km South of Narrabri, nor at Eulah Creek, 20 km East of town). However, White-browed Scrubwrens were found by us in the Narrabri township in August 2010. C. Hayne reports that White-browed Scrubwrens, race "tweedi", are also common in the area of Moree, NSW. White-browed Scrubwrens, race "tweedi", are abundant in the rainforests on the eastern side of the Great Dividing Range, where we have seen them, e.g., at Dorrigo NP and Washpool NP, in north-eastern NSW, and on into south-eastern QLD, e.g. in Lamington NP. M. Mearns reports spotting White-browed Scrubwrens, races "tweedi" and "laevigaster", at Bunya Mountains NP, QLD, in December 2015. M. Windeyer reports finding a family clan of 6 White-browed Scrubwrens, race "tweedi", in Warrumbungle NP, near Coonabarabran, NSW, in May 2020. Race "laevigaster" White-browed Scrubwrens, race "laevigaster", have been spotted by us and various contributors in various locations in southern and central QLD. They were found as far West as Bunya Mountains NP and Carnarvon NP. M. Mearns reports spotting White-browed Scrubwrens, races "tweedi" and "laevigaster", at Bunya Mountains NP, QLD, in December 2015. Various contributors report spotting White-browed Scrubwrens, races "tweedi" and "laevigaster", regularly at O'Reilly's Plateau, Lamington NP, Gold Coast, QLD. A. Campbell reports spotting White-browed Scrubwrens, race "laevigaster", semi-regularly at Mount McEuen, QLD. M. Eaton found White-browed Scrubwrens, race "laevigaster", at Brunswick Heads, QLD, in January 2019 and at D'Aguilar NP, near Mount Mee, QLD, in December 2019. They were also found at Eungella NP, near Mackay, QLD, in July 2021, and at Pullenvale, QLD, in the timeframe September-December 2023. J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours spotted a White-browed Scrubwren, race "laevigaster", at Yungaburra, Atherton Tablelands, QLD, in October 2023.

Photos

Race "frontalis"

ADULT

PAIR

Many bird species exhibit sexual dimorphism, i.e., male and female have differing appearances which can be quite subtle.
Male White-browed Scrubwrens, left, have more colour contrast between background and eyebrows and loral stripe than females. The latter's head is also browner than the males' predominantly grey one.

MALE

Partly obscured frontal view of a male(?) White-browed Scrubwren looking sideways
[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 looking sideways (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 (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Near Swifts Creek, East Gippsland, VIC, September 2014]

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. Albans, NSW, August 2013]

Race "tweedi"

ADULT

PAIR

Many bird species exhibit sexual dimorphism, i.e., male and female have differing appearances which can be quite subtle.
Male White-browed Scrubwrens, left, have more colour contrast between background and eyebrows and loral stripe than females. The latter's head is also browner than the males' predominantly grey one.

MALE

Close-up frontal view of a male White-browed Scrubwren looking up - the pronounced forward vision suggests they White-browed Scrubwrens are not afraid of being preyed upon
[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]

Near-frontal view of a male White-browed Scrubwren looking towards the observer
(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 looking towards the observer
(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
[Mt. Kaputar NP, NSW, August 2015]

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]

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]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

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

Near-frontal view of a juvenile White-browed Scrubwren
[Dorrigo NP, NSW, November 2006]

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
[Dorrigo NP, NSW, November 2006]

Near-frontal view of a fledgling White-browed Scrubwren leaning sideways (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Lamington NP, Gold Coast, QLD, October 2024]

Race "laevigaster"

ADULT

MALE

Frontal view of a male White-browed Scrubwren (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Pullenvale, QLD, September 2023]

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

Close-up lateral view of a male White-browed Scrubwren (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Pullenvale, QLD, November 2023]

Lateral view of a male White-browed Scrubwren (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[D'Aguilar NP, 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

Close-up near-frontal view of a female White-browed Scrubwren (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Pullenvale, QLD, November 2023]

Near-frontal view of a female White-browed Scrubwren looking sideways (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Pullenvale, QLD, November 2023]

Lateral view of a female White-browed Scrubwren; note the grey side of the head (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Pullenvale, QLD, October 2023]

Lateral view of a female White-browed Scrubwren (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Pullenvale, QLD, October 2023]

Lateral view of a female White-browed Scrubwren (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]

Near-dorsal/ventral view of a female White-browed Scrubwren (photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Yungaburra, Atherton Tablelands, QLD, October 2023]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Close-up near-lateral view of a juvenile White-browed Scrubwren - note the pinkish gape
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Pullenvale, QLD, November 2023]

Near-lateral view of a juvenile White-browed Scrubwren (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Pullenvale, QLD, October 2023]

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]

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 at the entrance to its nest
[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)

Food, Diet

White-browed 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 male White-browed Scrubwren with its prey (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Pullenvale, QLD, October 2023]

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

Near-dorsal view of a male White-browed Scrubwren with its prey, an earthworm
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Quindalup, WA, October 2024]

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

Dorsal view of a male White-browed Scrubwren with its prey, a flying insect
[Near Barraba, NSW, October 2006]

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_20240921.m4a	tweedi (NW NSW)	Contact calls?	© 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_20250223.m4a	tweedi (NW NSW)	Alarm calls (human)	© MD
wbrscrw_20250223_2.m4a	tweedi (NW NSW)	Alarm calls (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.m4a	tweedi (NE NSW)	Various	© MD
wbrscrw_20240228.m4a	tweedi (NW NSW)	Various (+ Eastern Yellow Robin)	© MD
wbrscrw_20180131.m4a	tweedi (NW NSW)	?	© MD
wbrscrw_20240904_2.m4a	tweedi (NW NSW)	?	© MD
wbrscrw_20240904_3.m4a	tweedi (NW NSW)	? (+ Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater)	© 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.