The White-browed Treecreeper (Climacteris affinis ) is the smallest of the Australo-papuan Treecreepers and sole family member adapted to arid environments. The species foraging strategy involves climbing the trunks of trees in search of invertebrate prey on and under bark. Although some populations within the species range have declined, the species IUCN conservation status is of Least Concern.
An insectivore is a carnivorous plant or animal that eats insects. An alternative term is entomophage, which also refers to the human practice of e...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
Oviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive...
Gliding flight is heavier-than-air flight without the use of thrust and is employed by gliding animals. Birds in particular use gliding flight to m...
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Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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starts withWhite-browed Treecreepers inhabit arid and semi-arid regions across southern Australia, excluding Tasmania. The two subspecies ranges do not overlap, C. a. affinis found east of the Spencer Gulf and C. a. superciliosus to the west. White-browed Treecreepers inhabit a range of woodland and shrubland communities, dominated by either Acacia, Casuarina or Callitris species, with both dense and open understory's.
White-browed Treecreepers are sedentary, pairs or groups actively defending relatively large territories (averaging 8.4 hectares in some regions) throughout the year.
The White-browed Treecreeper is a scansorial (tree-trunk climbing) bark-foraging specialist, feeding upon a range of invertebrates (predominantly ants) gathered from on and beneath the bark of tree trunks and branches. The climbing technique employed by the species is described as ‘inching’ by which the lower foot is lifted and brought to the level of the upper foot prior to the upper being moved higher. Such a technique differs from some other scansorial birds which lift their feet from the substrate simultaneously in a hopping or hitching fashion. Once White-browed Treecreepers reach the uppermost portions of a tree they glide down to a lower position on a nearby tree to recommence climbing. The species also frequently forages on the ground among logs and leaf litter.
White-browed Treecreepers forage alone, in small family groups or during winter within mixed-species assemblages comprising other insectivores.
White-browed Treecreepers breeding season varies across its range, commencing as early as July in the western parts of its range to August in the east, and continuing until November. White-browed treecreepers breed both as unassisted simple pairs or in cooperatively breeding units consisting of a breeding pair and 1-3 male offspring from previous years. Non-breeding male ‘helpers’ provide assistance with all nesting related activities, other than incubation and brooding (conducted by the female alone).
White-browed Treecreepers build shallow saucer-shaped nests within tree hollows, made of bark fibres, grass, twigs and branchlets and line the nest with feathers, fur, vegetable down and wool. The female lays a clutch of 1-3 pinkish-white eggs speckled reddish and purplish-brown, of which she incubates for 17–18 days. Nestlings take approximately 25–26 days to fledge upon which they remain dependent on their parents and associated ‘helpers’ for food for up to 37 days. Although up to two broods may be raised per season White-browed Treecreepers have low productivity, with an average of only 1.58 young fledged per breeding unit annually.
Threats to the White-browed Treecreeper include habitat loss and fragmentation due to land clearing. Such threats have resulted in population declines and range contractions within some regions including Victoria, Australia, within which the species is now listed as Threatened under state legislation. The White-browed Treecreeper has also been recognised as a species highly exposed to the effects of climate change.
White-browed treecreepers are not listed as threatened on the Australian Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. However, their conservation status varies from state to state within Australia. For example:
