White-browed Scrubwren

The White-browed Scrubwren along with the Brown Thornbill and the Large-billed Scrubwren and sometimes a couple of others, belongs to that group of small bush birds called Little Brown Birds or LBBs.

 

White-browed Scrubwren                                                             Brown Thornbill

The diminutive White-browed Scrubwren can quickly be identified by the white stripes above and below the eye and the white ‘window’ in the wing. The sexes are the same with the female a little duller and juveniles are similar too. The white eyebrow can give the bird an angry appearance.

 

They inhabit a big variety of dense undergrowth – eucalypt forest (they especially like Bracken), rainforest, coastal woodland, heathland, etc. Some people on more isolated properties are lucky enough to have them in their gardens.

 

‘Scrubbies’ are widely distributed and pretty common and they are endemic to Australia. They are sedentary, some references say very sedentary, with the same pair occupying their own small patch of undergrowth year after year.

 

Generally, the White-browed Scrubwren is a shy tentative bird that is seldom seen but every now and then they can become quite inquisitive of intruders. Most experienced birdwatchers will initially locate a White-browed Scrubwren by its call.

 

White-browed Scrubwrens feed on insects and sometimes fruit and seed, taken on and near the ground in the undergrowth. They build a ball-shaped nest consisting of grasses lined with feathers, generally located close to ground level.

 'Scrubbies' can be found in Drouin at Bellbird Park, John Lardner Reserve, Pryor Rd and numerous other nearby patches of native bush.