Rufous Treecreeper

1. Warm rufous face and underparts with brown upperparts

2. Males have bold black-edged breast streaks; females’ streaks are finer and paler

3. Juveniles are darker, with less defined streaking; both sexes have a dark bill

Rufous Treecreepers primarily feed on insects such as ants, beetle larvae, and other invertebrates, foraging by probing under bark and among leaf litter. While ground foraging is more common in wandoo woodlands, in jarrah forests they mostly search along trunks and branches. Breeding occurs from September to November. Pairs build a cup shaped nest in vertical tree hollows, lining the cavity with bark, grass, and feathers. Females lay 2-3 eggs and incubate them alone, while the male feeds her at the nest. Both parents feed the chicks after hatching.

Look for Rufous Treecreepers in the open woodlands and mature forests of southwestern Australia, from the Perth hills through the jarrah and wandoo regions and east to the Eyre Peninsula. They are often seen climbing up large eucalypts, especially jarrah and marri trees, and occasionally foraging on the ground among leaf litter, particularly in wandoo woodlands. They may also visit nearby gardens close to bushland reserves.