Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...
A photo of a Brown Treecreeper (Climacteris picumnus)
Brown Treecreeper

Brown Treecreeper

Climacteris picumnus

The brown treecreeper (Climacteris picumnus), the largest of the Australasian treecreepers, is a bird of subtle charm and quiet demeanor. Its plumage is a harmonious blend of light grey-brown above, with a lighter grey face and neck. The crown is a darker grey, and the ear-coverts match this shade. A prominent, pale supercilium graces the adult, while the juvenile's is grey and less distinct. The throat is a creamy white, transitioning to a pale brown on the breast, which is finely streaked with black-grey and white. In flight, one can observe a dark wing-bar. This species exhibits sexual dimorphism: males have black and white streaking on the uppermost breast, while females display rufous and white streaking.

Identification Tips

When observing the brown treecreeper, look for the bird's size, approximately 16.5 centimeters in length with a wingspan of 26 centimeters, and an average weight of around 31.5 grams. The distinct streaking on the upper breast can help differentiate between the sexes. Juveniles can be identified by their darker hind-neck, nape, crown, and forehead compared to adult males.

Habitat

The brown treecreeper is found in a variety of habitats, from coastal forests to mallee shrublands, but shows a preference for eucalypt-dominated woodlands up to 1,000 meters in elevation. It tends to avoid areas with dense, shrubby undergrowth.

Distribution

Endemic to eastern Australia, the brown treecreeper's range extends from Cape York, Queensland, through New South Wales and Victoria, to Port Augusta and the Flinders Ranges in South Australia. The population has seen a contraction from the edges of its pre-European range.

Behaviour

This gregarious bird exhibits a complex social structure, maintaining territories that sometimes overlap with other groups of its kind. Typically seen in pairs or small groups, the brown treecreeper is known to forage on the ground and tree surfaces, feeding on ants, beetles, and insect larvae. It roosts solitarily and nocturnally.

Song & Calls

The brown treecreeper's call is a distinctive "spink spink," which can be heard echoing through its woodland habitat.

Breeding

Breeding pairs are socially monogamous and may breed cooperatively. The breeding season spans from July to February, with most eggs laid from September to late October. The female alone incubates the eggs, which are slightly glossy and speckled in shades of pink, reddish-brown, or purplish-red.

Similar Species

The brown treecreeper is closely related to the rufous treecreeper (Climacteris rufus) and the black-tailed treecreeper (C. melanurus), which share similar habitats and have sexually dimorphic markings.

Diet and Feeding

Primarily insectivorous, the brown treecreeper's diet consists of ants, beetles, and their larvae. It forages by probing tree fissures and hopping along logs, spending more time on the ground in arid regions.

Conservation status

The IUCN lists the brown treecreeper as "Least Concern," though the subspecies victoriae is considered "Vulnerable" under the Threatened Species Conservation Act in New South Wales and by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water at the national level.

Threats to the species include habitat loss and fragmentation due to land clearing, competition for nesting hollows with invasive species, and changes in fire regimes affecting their foraging substrates.

App logo
Birda is a birdwatching app and community aimed at curious people who want to deepen their connection with nature.

Brown Treecreepers on Birda

Photos
Sightings

More Australasian Treecreepers

Birda Logo

Your birdwatching journey like never before

Connect with nature in minutes
Take a walk, look out of the window and log the birds that you see. Feel good about those little connections to nature.
Discover the joy of birding
Find new birding spots, see more birds, share and celebrate with a like-minded community of nature lovers.
Play your part in saving nature
Logging your birding sightings and sessions turns into positive action for our planet. Every sighting counts.

Birda Blog

What Our Birders Say
Ellesse_W
Learning Birding with Birda
I’m relatively new to birding as a hobby, and Birda is a great way to keep track off all the species I see. I’m still working on my ID skills, but the app is great for figuring out potential species, and the online community is so friendly and helpful. Definitely recommend Birda to both early and serious birders! 🐦
Jake W
Great app
I use this app all the time as it’s quick and easy to log individual sightings or whole birding sessions. It’s an excellent way to meet new people and the forum is full of really friendly people. The challenges are a great way to get involved and learn more about birds. Cannot recommend it enough!
Birdafan
Ideal Birdwatch Companion
Simply adds to the enjoyment of my birdwatching and helps me record what I’ve seen.
Hip An
Fantastic
Really enjoying Birda where I live i have a lot of Red kites really hard to photograph but I can video are you planning some place on the app where us Birda can post vids🦉🦅
Louise L
Easy to use and accurate
Love this app. It is easy to use and accurate, Their backup communication is really good. I noted a missing species. All through the process, I was kept informed about the progress in correcting the information. I now have the corrected, updated version. 😁 Thanks!
Pdydhdrexgi
Fantastic App
This is a really lovely app, for everyone interested in birds - from newbies to old hands. There is a very friendly feel to the community and you will genuinely learn a lot as you record your sightings and photos. There are lots of badges and competitions to keep you engaged, and a host of really useful features.
Nick S
Work together with community
Been loving using this app to log my bird sightings and work together with community members to identify different birds. I've already learned a lot since I started about a month ago!
Bryan C
Clean and easy to use
Really enjoying this app, it's clean and easy to use. I love the ease of being able to add those one-off birds without starting a whole checklist. I also like the social aspect, like the parts of my Facebook I like, without the ads and junk, just birds. Can't wait to see it become more populated.
Nedz53
Really useful
Downloaded to give it a try, everything worked perfectly, recorded my first bird watching walk. Very impressed. Have already recommended to friends!
Alex J
Friendly and helps to identify birds
Great birding app, good for logging your sightings, also has nice species guide. I'm enjoying the social aspect more than I expected, everyone seems friendly and helps to identify unknown birds. Good mix of newbies and experienced users.
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright © 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.