White-throated treecreeper

Cormobates leucophaea

(Photo from Flickr)

Common name:
white-throated treecreeper (en); trepadeira-austral-de-garganta-branca (pt); échelet leucophée (fr); corretroncos gorjiblanco (es); weißkehl-baumrutscher (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Climacteridae

Range:
This species is endemic to eastern Australia, being found from north-eastern Queensland south to Victoria, and west into south-eastern South Australia.

Size:
These birds are 13-17 cm long and have a wingspan of 19-26 cm. They weigh 22 g.

Habitat:
The white-throated treecreeper is found in various forest habitats, including tropical and sub-tropical rainforests, dry tropical forests, dry savannas and temperate forests. They occur at altitudes of 300-1.200 m.

Diet:
They mainly search for insects and other invertebrates on tree bark and dead wood, particularly ants and spiders, occasionally also taking sap from Acacia or Eucalyptus, and nectar from flowers.

Breeding:
White-throated treecreepers are socially monogamous and breed in August-January. They nest in a tree cavity, about 2 m above the ground, which the female lines with bark, fur and grass. There she lays 2-4 white eggs with sparse brown or purple specks, which she incubates alone for 21-22 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 25 days after hatching. Each pair raises 1-2 broods per season.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a large breeding range and is reported to be locally common. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Brown treecreeper

Climacteris picumnus

(Photo from Wikipedia)

Common name:

brown treecreeper (en); trepadeira-austral-castanha (pt); échelet brun (fr); corretroncos pardo (es); braunbaumrutscher (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Passeriformes

Family Climacteridae

Range:

This Australian species is found across eastern Australia, from northern Queensland south to Victoria and eastern South Australia.

Size:

This large treecreeper is 16-18 cm long and weighs 26-33 g.

Habitat:

Brown treecreepers are mostly found in eucalypt forests and other dry woodlands and savannas. They are also found in moist forests and dry scrublands.

Diet:

These birds forage on the trunk and branches of trees, probing into cavities and under loose bark in search of ants, moths, craneflies, spiders,butterfly and insect larvae.

Breeding:

Brown treecreepers breed in June-January. They are monogamous and sometimes breeding pairs are helped by the offspring from previous year. The nest is a collection of grasses, feathers and other soft material, placed in a hollow in a standing dead or live trees or in a tree stumps. There the female lays 2-3 eggs which she incubates alone for 17 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and by the helpers, fledging 26 days after hatching.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)

This species has a very large breeding range and is reported to be locally quite common. This population is suspected to be in decline owing to ongoing habitat loss and degradation caused by agricultural and urban expansion as well livestock grazing and firewood collection. Predation by feral cats and dogs may also be a problem for this species. However, overall the brown treecreeper is not considered threatened at present.