The Australasian / Australian Treecreepers all are endemic to Australia – New Guinea.
The Australasian treecreeper are medium-small, mostly brown-colored birds with patterning on their underparts.
They were named for the fact that they are often seen “creeping” up tree trunks (like Woodpeckers), supporting themselves on vertical trees with their stiff tail feathers.
They mostly feed on insects, foraging for insects and other small prey living on and under the bark of trees, mostly eucalypts, though several species also hunt on the ground, through leaf-litter, and on fallen timber..
Seven Recognized Subspecies
- Papuan Treecreeper, Cormobates placens
- White-throated Treecreeper, Cormobates leucophaeus
- White-browed Treecreeper, Climacteris affinis
- Red-browed Treecreeper, Climacteris erythrops
- Brown Treecreeper, Climacteris picumnus
- Black-tailed Treecreeper, Climacteris melanura
- Rufous Treecreeper, Climacteris rufa
Black-tailed Treecreeper (Climacteris melanura)
French Name: Échelet à queue noire … German Name: Schwarzschwanz-Baumrutscher … Peters Family Name: Climacteridae: Australian Treecreepers … Sibley-Monroe Family Name: Climacteridae: Australo-Papuan Treecreepers … Gill (2nd Ed.) Family Name: Climacteridae: Australasian Treecreepers
Habitat: Open forest, riparian woodland … Distribution: North Australia, Queensland, Northern Territory, Western Australia
English Synonyms: Allied Treecreeper
Brown Tree Creeper (Climacteris picumnus)
Papuan Treecreeper (Cormobates placens)
French Name: Échelet papou … German Name: Papuabaumrutscher … Peters Family Name: CLIMACTERIDAE: Australian Treecreepers … Sibley-Monroe Family Name: CLIMACTERIDAE: Australo-Papuan Treecreepers … Gill (2nd Ed.) Family Name: CLIMACTERIDAE: Australasian Treecreepers
Habitat: Forest;mountains, elevation: 1250-3050m
English Synonyms: New Guinea Treecreeper
Red-browed Treecreeper (Climacteris erythrops):
French Name: Échelet à sourcils roux … German Name: Rostbrauen-Baumrutscher … Peters Family Name: Climacteridae: Australian Treecreepers … Sibley-Monroe Family Name: Climacteridae: Australo-Papuan Treecreepers … Gill (2nd Ed.) Family Name: Climacteridae: Australasian Treecreepers
Habitat: Rain forest, dense eucalypt woodland … Distribution: SE Australia (Queensland), New South Wales
Rufous Treecreeper (Climacteris rufa):
French Name: Échelet roux … German Name: Rostbauch-Baumrutscher … Peters Family Name: Climacteridae: Australian Treecreepers … Sibley-Monroe Family Name: Climacteridae: Australo-Papuan Treecreepers … Gill (2nd Ed.) Family Name: Climacteridae: Australasian Treecreepers
Habitat: Open forest, dense eucalypt woodland … Distribution: South and Western Australia
White-browed Creeper (Climacteris affinis):
French Name: Échelet à sourcils blancs … German Name: Weißbrauen-Baumrutscher … Peters Family Name: Climacteridae: Australian Treecreepers … Sibley-Monroe Family Name: Climacteridae: Australo-Papuan Treecreepers … Gill (2nd Ed.) Family Name: Climacteridae: Australasian Treecreepers
Habitat: Dry woodland
Distribution: Central Australia, Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Northern Territory, Western Australia
