Black-tailed treecreeper

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Black-tailed treecreeper

The black-tailed treecreeper (Climacteris melanurus) is a small to medium bird found only in northern and northwestern Australia. It is the region’s only treecreeper and is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN.

Appearance
- Size: about 16–20 cm long; weigh 27–36 g; wingspan 8.7–10.2 cm.
- Colors: both sexes are dark brown with a black tail and a white wing bar visible in flight.
- Sex differences: males have a black throat with white streaks; females have a white throat with white streaking on a reddish-brown upper chest.
- Looks similar to the Brown treecreeper, but lacks a white eyebrow stripe.

Habitat and behavior
- Lives in open grassy woodlands, savanna, dry forests and moist lowland forests.
- Usually travels in pairs or trios, sometimes small groups.
- Feeds on insects under bark; climbs up tree trunks in a spiral search.

Calls
- Primary contact call is a loud metallic “chee-ting” or “ching”; softer notes may be heard during feeding or flight; occasional repeated “pip” calls.

Breeding
- Cooperative breeders; 1–3 pinkish-white to reddish-spotted eggs, about 25 × 19 mm.
- Nests in hollows of tree trunks or branches, made from fur, grass and feathers.
- Incubation 14–24 days; birds likely reach sexual maturity around 2 years.

Taxonomy and relation
- Closest living relative is the Brown treecreeper; shares similarities with the Rufous Treecreeper.
- Genus Climacteris; species melanurus; name derives from Greek for “black tail.”
- Two subspecies: C. m. wellsi is smaller and paler, with more breast streaking; ranges are separated by the Great Sandy Desert.

Conservation
- IUCN Red List: Least Concern; population stable and range very large.