Scrubtit Scrubtit

1. Short, slightly curved black bill for probing bark and moss.

2. Greyish face with a partial white eye-ring and pale eyes.

3. Warm brown upperparts with a white throat and belly, plus small white shoulder spots

Scrubtits primarily eat small invertebrates, foraging alone, in pairs, or family groups near the ground within dense cover. They are resident and territorial, sometimes joining mixed-species flocks. Their woven, domed nests have a side entrance and are built from tree-fern fibers, moss, and other plant material, usually placed one to three meters above the ground in dense vegetation. The breeding season runs from September to January, with clutches of three to four white eggs, finely spotted with reddish-brown. Both parents feed the chicks, but helpers are not known in this species. The Scrubtit’s song is a quiet, sweet, and musical warble, though the bird is often silent or gives a soft double chirp.

Scrubtits are found in Tasmania’s cool temperate rainforests, wet eucalypt forests, and dense gullies, especially where there is thick undergrowth and abundant tree ferns or mossy logs. They are often seen close to the ground or in low vegetation, methodically searching trunks, branches, and fallen logs for insects. The best chance to spot one is in damp, shaded forest areas, particularly at dawn or early morning when they are most active.