The rusty thicketbird is a bird species. Previously placed in the "Old World warbler" family Sylviidae, it does not seem to be a close relative of the typical warblers; probably it belongs in the grass warbler family Locustellidae. It is found in New Britain only.
Region
Bismarck Archipelago
Typical Environment
Endemic to New Britain, where it inhabits dense understory in primary and mature secondary forest, especially tangled thickets, bamboo clumps, and vine-choked gullies. It favors edges of clearings and along streams where cover remains thick. Records suggest it is local and patchy, reflecting both its secretive habits and fragmented suitable habitat. It is rarely seen in open areas and avoids heavily degraded forest.
Altitude Range
200–1500 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
An elusive skulker of dense undergrowth, the rusty thicketbird is more often heard than seen. Once placed with Old World warblers (Sylviidae), it is now treated in the grassbird family Locustellidae. Its thin, insect-like trills carry through thickets on New Britain, where it is confined to forested hills and mountains. Habitat loss on the island makes reliable encounters increasingly local.
Temperament
solitary and secretive
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats, low over the ground
Social Behavior
Typically encountered alone or in pairs, keeping to dense cover where it creeps and hops through vegetation. Likely monogamous with nests placed low in thick undergrowth, as in related grassbirds. Breeding behavior is poorly documented, but both adults probably attend the nest.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A thin, insect-like trill and ticking series delivered from within cover, often at dawn and dusk. Phrases are simple and repeated, carrying surprisingly well through dense vegetation.
Plumage
Overall warm rusty-brown with slightly darker mottling on the back and wings; underparts buffy with a paler throat. Feathers appear soft and plain, aiding camouflage in leaf litter and thickets.
Diet
Feeds primarily on small insects such as beetles, ants, and caterpillars, along with spiders and other arthropods. It gleans from leaves and stems and probes leaf litter. Foraging is deliberate and close to the ground, using cover for concealment.
Preferred Environment
Dense understory of forest, tangles, bamboo thickets, and edges of clearings where insect prey is abundant. Often forages along streamside vegetation and in viney secondary growth.
