The Bougainville thicketbird is a bird species. It had been placed in the "Old World warbler" family Sylviidae, but it does not seem to be a close relative of the typical warblers; probably it belongs in the grass warbler family Locustellidae. It is endemic to Bougainville Island. Its natural habitat is montane forest with thick understory above 1500m. It used to be considered conspecific with the Santo thicketbird and the New Britain thicketbird.
Region
Solomon Islands archipelago
Typical Environment
Restricted to high-elevation montane forests on Bougainville Island, where mossy cloud forest and dense understory vegetation dominate. It favors thickets of bamboo, tree ferns, and tangled shrubs along ridgelines and steep, damp slopes. Birds keep close to the ground or low shrubs, using dense cover for foraging and nesting. Occasional use of forest edges and overgrown clearings occurs where adequate understory persists.
Altitude Range
1500–2700 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
A secretive understory specialist, the Bougainville thicketbird is far more often heard than seen, delivering insect‑like trills from dense cover. Formerly placed with Old World warblers, it is now aligned with grassbirds and grasshopper-warblers (Locustellidae). It was once treated as conspecific with the Santo and New Britain thicketbirds but is now recognized as a distinct species.
Temperament
skulking and secretive
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats, low dashes between cover
Social Behavior
Typically encountered as solitary birds or in pairs, maintaining territories within dense understory. Likely monogamous during the breeding season, with a cup-like nest placed low in thick vegetation. Parents remain close to cover and are highly responsive to intruders near the nest.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Song is a high, insect-like trill or reeling series delivered from concealed perches, often at dawn and dusk. Calls include thin tsip notes and soft ticking, which can be difficult to localize in dense foliage.
Plumage
Warm brown upperparts with subtle darker mottling and faint streaking, paler buff underparts with a lightly washed or finely streaked breast, and a long, slightly graduated tail.
Diet
Primarily small invertebrates including beetles, ants, caterpillars, and spiders gleaned from leaf litter and low shrubs. It forages methodically, probing mossy logs, fern bases, and tangled vines. Occasional consumption of small berries may occur when insects are scarce.
Preferred Environment
Feeds within dense understory of montane cloud forest, especially in bamboo thickets, fern tangles, and along fallen logs. Often works along the forest floor and the first meter of vegetation where cover is thickest.
