Large-billed scrubwren

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Large-billed scrubwren
Large-billed Scrubwren - Lamington NP - Queensland MG 3681 (21767701453).jpg
at Lamington National Park, Queensland.
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Acanthizidae
Genus: Sericornis
Species:
S. magnirostra
Binomial name
Sericornis magnirostra
(Gould, 1838)
Subspecies [2]
  • S. m. viridior - Mathews, 1912
  • S. m. magnirostra - (Gould, 1838)
  • S. m. howei - Mathews, 1912
Synonyms

Sericornis magnirostris

The large-billed scrubwren (Sericornis magnirostra) is a passerine bird in the family Acanthizidae, endemic to eastern Australia. It is found in denser undergrowth in temperate forest, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest. [1]

Contents

Taxonomy

The large-billed scrubwren was described by ornithologist John Gould in 1838.

The generic name Sericornis derives from Ancient Greek serikos 'silk' and ornis 'bird'. [3] The specific epithet derives from Latin magnus 'great' and rostrum 'bill'. [3]

It was placed in the family Pardalotidae in the Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy, [4] but this has met with opposition and indeed is now known to be wrong. Instead, the large-billed scrubwren belongs to the independent family Acanthizidae. [5]

There are three recognised subspecies: Sericornis magnirostra magnirostra, S. m. viridior, and S. m. howei. [6]

Description

The large-billed scrubwren is 11.5 to 13 cm (4.5 to 5.1 in) in length and weighs 10 g (0.35 oz). [7] [6] It has a dark reddish-brown eye in a pale buff face, with a longish, black bill inclined slightly upwards. [7] [8] The upperparts are light grey-brown with an olive tint, the throat is a pale buffy-white, the belly greyish, and the rump and tail light rufous-brown. [8]

Distribution and habitat

The large-billed scrubwren is found from near Cooktown in northern Queensland to Kinglake and the Dandenong Ranges, near Melbourne, Victoria. [7] The distribution of the 3 subspecies corresponds to 3 discontinuous areas within its overall range: the nominate subspecies Sericornis magnirostra magnirostra is found from the Clarke Range, inland of Mackay, Queensland to East Gippsland in Victoria; S. m. viridior is found in northeast Queensland from Mt Amos, south of Cooktown, to the Paluma Range National Park, near Townsville; and S. m. howei is found in West Gippsland and the Strzelecki Ranges of southern Victoria. [6] Its preferred habitat is rainforest in the tropics and wet sclerophyll forest in temperate areas. [6] It is sedentary and more common in the north of its range. [7]

Behaviour

Breeding

The large-billed scrubwren breeds from July to January, mainly in November and December. [8] [6] It constructs a rough, domed nest of bark, grass and moss, lined with feathers and set in creepers, tree-ferns or palm-fronds. [7] [6] It often occupies the abandoned nest of other species, notably the yellow-throated scrubwren (Neosericornis citreogularis). [8] [7] A clutch of 3 or 4 egg s, measuring 19 mm × 15 mm (0.7 in × 0.6 in), is laid. [8] The eggs are dull white to pale purplish-brown in appearance with fine spots at the large end. [7] The incubation period is unknown and the nestling period is about 13 days. [6] The nests are parasitised by the fan-tailed cuckoo (Cacomantis flabelliformis) and the chestnut-breasted cuckoo (C. castaneiventris). [6]

Feeding

The large-billed scrubwren forages in the low to middle levels of the forest, often in small flocks. [8] It is insectivorous , gleaning various arthropods, including spiders, ants, wasps, beetles, and lepidopteran larvae, from the bark of tree-trunks and branches, and amongst debris suspended in vines and epiphytes. [6] [8]

Vocalization

The large-billed scrubwren is mostly silent, but occasionally makes a penetrating territorial call "s-cheer s-cheer", a sharp, loud "chwip-chwip" or a chattering "sip-sip" while feeding. [8] [7]

Conservation status

The large-billed scrubwren has a wide distribution and a stable population, and is classified as of least concern on the IUCN Red List. [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White-browed scrubwren</span> Species of bird

The white-browed scrubwren is a passerine bird found on the New England Tablelands and coastal areas of Australia. Placed in the family Pardalotidae in the Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy, this has met with opposition and indeed is now known to be wrong; they rather belong to the independent family Acanthizidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yellow-throated scrubwren</span> Species of bird

The yellow-throated scrubwren is a passerine in the family Acanthizidae that is found in parts of eastern coastal Australia. It was formerly placed in the genus Sericornis, but is now the only species in the genus Neosericornis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scrubtit</span> Species of bird

The scrubtit is a species of bird in the thornbill family Acanthizidae. It is endemic to Tasmania and King Island in Australia. Its natural habitat is the temperate rainforest, Nothofagus beech forest and eucalypt woodland. It is a small species that resembles the Sericornis scrubwrens.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rusty mouse-warbler</span> Species of bird

The rusty mouse-warbler, is a species of bird in the family Acanthizidae. It is found in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mountain mouse-warbler</span> Species of bird

The mountain mouse-warbler is a species of bird in the family Acanthizidae. It is found in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, where its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grey-headed robin</span> Species of bird

The grey-headed robin is a species of bird in the family Petroicidae. It is found in northeastern Cape York Peninsula.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fernwren</span> Genus of birds

The fernwren is a species of bird in the family Acanthizidae. It is monotypic within the genus Oreoscopus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White-rumped robin</span> Species of songbird native to New Guinea

The white-rumped robin is a species of bird in the family Petroicidae. It is found in New Guinea. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slaty robin</span> Species of songbird native to New Guinea

The slaty robin, also known as the blue-grey robin, is a species of bird in the family Petroicidae, present in the New Guinea Highlands and sparsely in the island's northern areas. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White-winged robin</span> Species of songbird native to New Guinea

The white-winged robin is a species of bird in the family Petroicidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White-browed robin</span> Species of bird

The white-browed robin is a species of bird in the family Petroicidae. It is endemic to north-eastern Australia. Its natural habitats are forest, woodland and scrub, often near water. It formerly included the buff-sided robin as a subspecies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tropical scrubwren</span> Species of bird

The tropical scrubwren or Beccari's scrubwren is a bird species. Placed in the family Pardalotidae in the Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy, this has met with opposition and indeed is now known to be wrong; they rather belong to the independent family Acanthizidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tasmanian scrubwren</span> Species of bird

The Tasmanian scrubwren or brown scrubwren is a bird species endemic to the temperate forests of Tasmania and nearby King Island. It lives in the understory of rainforest, woodland, dry forest, swamps and coastal scrublands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atherton scrubwren</span> Species of bird

The Atherton scrubwren is a bird species. Placed in the family Pardalotidae in the Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy, this has met with opposition and indeed is now known to be wrong; they rather belong to the independent family Acanthizidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Large scrubwren</span> Species of bird

The large scrubwren is a bird species. Placed in the family Pardalotidae in the Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy, this has met with opposition and indeed is now known to be wrong; they rather belong to the independent family Acanthizidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Papuan scrubwren</span> Species of bird

The Papuan scrubwren is a species of bird in the family Acanthizidae. It is found in the highlands of New Guinea ; its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pale-billed scrubwren</span> Species of bird

The pale-billed scrubwren is a bird species in the family Acanthizidae. It is found in the Aru Islands and New Guinea. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.

The perplexing scrubwren is a bird species. Placed in the family Pardalotidae in the Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy, this has met with opposition and indeed is now known to be wrong; they rather belong to the independent family Acanthizidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Acanthizidae</span> Family of birds

Acanthizidae—sometimes called Australian warblers—are a family of passerine birds which includes gerygones, thornbills Acanthiza, and scrubwrens Sericornis. The family Acanthizidae consists of small to medium passerine birds, with a total length varying between 8 and 19 centimetres. They have short rounded wings, slender bills, long legs, and a short tail. Most species have olive, grey, or brown plumage, although some have patches of a brighter yellow. The weebill is the smallest species of acanthizid, and the smallest Australian passerine; the largest is the pilotbird.

The spotted scrubwren is a bird species native to coastal southern Australia, from Adelaide westwards to Shark Bay in Western Australia. It was formerly considered conspecific with the white-browed scrubwren, and is known to hybridize with that species where their ranges overlap in the Adelaide area. Genetic analysis in a 2018 study of the family found that this taxon was more divergent from the white-browed scrubwren than the Tasmanian or Atherton scrubwrens and hence proposed its reclassification as a species. It was reclassified as a species in 2019.

References

  1. 1 2 3 BirdLife International (2016). "Sericornis magnirostra". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T22704559A93975609. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22704559A93975609.en . Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  2. ↑ Gill F, D Donsker & P Rasmussen (Eds). 2020. IOC World Bird List (v10.2). doi : 10.14344/IOC.ML.10.2.
  3. 1 2 Jobling, James A. (2010). "Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird-names" . Retrieved 2020-05-13.
  4. ↑ Sibley, C. G. and J. E. Ahlquist. (1990) Phylogeny and Classification of Birds. Yale Univ. Press, New Haven, Connecticut.
  5. ↑ Gill, F. and D. Donsker, eds. (2020). IOC World Bird List (v 10.1). Doi 10.14344/IOC.ML.10.1. http://www.worldbirdnames.org/
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Gregory, P. (2020). "Large-billed Scrubwren (Sericornis magnirostra), version 1.0." In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.labscr2.01
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Pizzey, G. and Doyle, R. (1980) A Field Guide to the Birds of Australia. Collins Publishers, Sydney. ISBN   073222436-5
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Morcombe, Michael (2012) Field Guide to Australian Birds. Pascal Press, Glebe, NSW. Revised edition. ISBN   978174021417-9
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