Indicative distribution
The areas shown in pink and/purple are the sub-regions where the species or community is known or predicted to occur. They may not occur thoughout the sub-region but may be restricted to certain areas.
(
click here to see geographic restrictions).
The information presented in this map is only indicative and may contain errors and omissions.
Scientific name: Climacteris picumnus victoriae
Gazetted date:
26 Oct 2001
Profile last updated:
25 Feb 2024
Description
The Brown Treecreeper, Australia’s largest treecreeper, is a grey-brown bird with black streaking on the lower breast and belly and black bars on the undertail. Pale buff bands across the flight feathers are obvious in flight. The face is pale, with a dark line through the eye, and a dark crown. Sexes differ slightly in all plumages, with small patches of black and white streaking on the centre of the uppermost breast on males, while the females exhibit a rufous and white streaking. Juveniles differ from adults mainly by the pattern of the under-body, and by their a pale bill and gape. Subspecies victoriae is distinguished from subspecies picumnus by colour differences on the face, body and tail markings. The two subspecies grade into each other through central NSW. Individuals are active, noisy and conspicuous, and give a loud ‘pink’ call, often repeated in contact, and sometimes given in a series of 5 - 10 descending notes. Breeds from July to Feb across its range.
Distribution
The Brown Treecreeper is endemic to eastern Australia and occurs in eucalypt forests and woodlands of inland plains and slopes of the Great Dividing Range. It is less commonly found on coastal plains and ranges.
The western boundary of the range of Climacteris picumnus victoriae runs approximately through Corowa, Wagga Wagga, Temora, Forbes, Dubbo and Inverell and along this line the subspecies intergrades with the arid zone subspecies of Brown Treecreeper Climacteris picumnus picumnus which then occupies the remaining parts of the state.
The eastern subspecies lives in eastern NSW in eucalypt woodlands through central NSW and in coastal areas with drier open woodlands such as the Snowy River Valley, Cumberland Plains, Hunter Valley and parts of the Richmond and Clarence Valleys.
The population density of this subspecies has been greatly reduced over much of its range, with major declines recorded in central NSW and the northern and southern tablelands. Declines have occurred in remnant vegetation fragments smaller than 300 hectares, that have been isolated or fragmented for more than 50 years.
Habitat and ecology
- Found in eucalypt woodlands (including Box-Gum Woodland) and dry open forest of the inland slopes and plains inland of the Great Dividing Range; mainly inhabits woodlands dominated by stringybarks or other rough-barked eucalypts, usually with an open grassy understorey, sometimes with one or more shrub species; also found in mallee and River Red Gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) Forest bordering wetlands with an open understorey of acacias, saltbush, lignum, cumbungi and grasses; usually not found in woodlands with a dense shrub layer; fallen timber is an important habitat component for foraging; also recorded, though less commonly, in similar woodland habitats on the coastal ranges and plains.
- Sedentary, considered to be resident in many locations throughout its range; present in all seasons or year-round at many sites; territorial year-round, though some birds may disperse locally after breeding.
- Gregarious and usually observed in pairs or small groups of 8 to 12 birds; terrestrial and arboreal in about equal proportions; active, noisy and conspicuous while foraging on trunks and branches of trees and amongst fallen timber; spend much more time foraging on the ground and fallen logs than other treecreepers.
- When foraging in trees and on the ground, they peck and probe for insects, mostly ants, amongst the litter, tussocks and fallen timber, and along trunks and lateral branches; up to 80% of the diet is comprised of ants; other invertebrates (including spiders, insects larvae, moths, beetles, flies, hemipteran bugs, cockroaches, termites and lacewings) make up the remaining percentage; nectar from Mugga Ironbark (Eucalyptus sideroxylon) and paperbarks, and sap from an unidentified eucalypt are also eaten, along with lizards and food scraps; young birds are fed ants, insect larvae, moths, craneflies, spiders and butterfly and moth larvae.
- Hollows in standing dead or live trees and tree stumps are essential for nesting.
- The species breeds in pairs or co-operatively in territories which range in size from 1.1 to 10.7 ha (mean = 4.4 ha). Each group is composed of a breeding pair with retained male offspring and, rarely, retained female offspring. Often in pairs or cooperatively breeding groups of two to five birds.
Regional distribution and habitat
Click on a region below to view detailed distribution, habitat and vegetation information.
Threats
- Historical loss of woodland, forest and mallee habitats as a result of agriculture, forestry, mining and residential development.
- Fragmentation of woodland and forest remnants which isolates populations and causes local extinctions.
- Ongoing degradation of habitat, particularly the loss of tree hollows and fallen timber from firewood collection and overgrazing.
- Lack of regeneration of eucalypt overstorey in woodland due to overgrazing and too-frequent fires.
- Loss of ground litter from compaction and overgrazing.
- Inappropriate forestry management practices.
- Loss of understorey habitat.
- Competition from invasive weeds.
- Aggressive exclusion from forest and woodland habitat by over abundant Noisy Miners.
- Habitat loss and degradation.
- Land management resulting in woodland habitat degradation.
Recovery strategies
A targeted strategy for managing this species has been developed under the Saving Our Species program; click
here for details. For more information on the Saving Our Species program click
here
Activities to assist this species
- Modify grazing management practices that will maintain or improve habitat values and still allow some grazing to occur at strategic times of the year.
- Do not allow further loss of dead standing or fallen timber from firewood collection or on-farm practices such as 'tidying up'; do not allow removal of hollow-bearing dead or living trees and stumps on private and public lands.
- Fencing of known habitat to protect natural features and to allow natural regeneration.
- Increase remnant size and connectivity through incentives and OEH threatened species extension services.
Information sources
- Bennett, V.A., Doerr, V.A.J., Doerr, E.K., Manning, A.D., Lindenmayer, D.B. and Yoon, H.-J. (2013) Causes of reintroduction failure of the brown treecreeper: Implications for ecosystem restoration. Austral Ecology (in press)
- Cooper, C.B. and Walters, J.R. (2002) Experimental Evidence of Disrupted Dispersal Causing Decline of an Australian Passerine in Fragmented Habitat. Conservation Biology 16(2): 471-78
- Cooper, C.B. and Walters, J.R. (2002) Independent effects of woodland loss and fragmentation on Brown Treecreeper distribution. Biological Conservation 105(1): 1-10
- Cooper, C.B., Walters, J.R. and Ford, H. (2002) Effects of remnant size and connectivity on the response of Brown Treecreepers to habitat fragmentation. Emu 102(3): 249-256
- Department of Environment and Climate Change (NSW) (2007) Terrestrial Vertebrate Fauna of the Greater Southern Sydney Region. Volume 2: Fauna of Conservation Concern including priority pest species. (DECC NSW, Hurstville)
- Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water NSW (2010) Northern Rivers Regional Biodiversity Management Plan.
- Doerr, E.K. and Doerr, V.A.J. (2006) Comparative demography of treecreepers: evaluating hypotheses for the evolution and maintenance of cooperative breeding. Animal Behaviour 72(1): 147-159
- Doerr, V.A.J., Doerr, E.K. and Jenkins, S.H. (2006) Habitat selection in two Australasian treecreepers: what cues should they use? Emu 106(2): 93-103
- Ford, H.A., Walters, J.R., Cooper, C.B., Debus, S.J.S. and Doerr, V.A.J. (2009) Extinction debt or habitat change? – Ongoing losses of woodland birds in north-eastern New South Wales, Australia. Biological Conservation 142(12): 3182-3190
- Higgins, P.J. and Peter, J.M. (eds.) (2002) Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds. Volume 6: Pardalotes to shrike-thrushes. (Oxford University Press, Melbourne)
- Keast, A. (1997) Habitat loss and species loss: the birds of Sydney 50 years ago and now. Australian Zoologist 30: 3-25
- Murray Catchment Management Authority and Office of Environment and Heritage (2012) New South Wales Murray Biodiversity Management Plan: A guide to terrestrial biodiversity investment priorities in the central and eastern NSW Murray catchment. (Murray CMA, Albury)
- Noske, R.A. (1979) Co-existence of three species of treecreepers in north-eastern New South Wales. Emu 79(3): 120-128
- Noske, R.A. (1991) A demographic comparison of cooperatively breeding and non-cooperatively breeding treecreepers (Climacteridae). Emu 91(2): 73-86
- NSW Scientific Committee (2001) Brown treecreeper (eastern subspecies) - Vulnerable species determination - final.
- Robinson, D. and Traill, B.J. (1996) Conserving woodland birds in the wheat and sheep belts of southern Australia. RAOU Conservation Statement No. 10. (Birds Australia, Melbourne)
- Schodde, R. and Mason, I.J. (1999) The Directory of Australian Birds. (CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne)
- Traill, B.J. and Duncan, S. (2000) Status of birds in the New South Wales Temperate woodlands region. Consultancy report to the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. (Australian Woodlands Conservancy, Chiltern, Victoria)
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