White-throated treecreeper. Credit: Marj Kibby

This small bird of up to 17 centimetres is predominantly a dark greyish brown on top and white underneath, with a black bill and legs.

Where

As the name suggests, white-throated tree-creepers are most commonly seen spiralling up tree trunks - usually eucalypts with rough fibrous bark. They tend to prefer trees with rough barks over smooth so keep an eye out for these types of trees as the birds’ camouflaged plumage can make them hard to see.

Feeding

The white-throated treecreeper feeds mainly on ants which it snatches in its beak while travelling up and down the bark of tree trunks, but it will also eat other insects and nectar.

Breeding

The female builds the nest from bark lined with fur and feathers in hollow, upright branches. She incubates the eggs, but both sexes care for the young. Two broods may be raised in a season.

Sounds

Listen for a loud peet-peet-peet call that carries for a long distance. It is one of the most evocative calls of the tall forest at Booderee.