The tropical scrubwren or Beccari's scrubwren is a bird species. Placed in the family Pardalotidae in the Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy, this has met with opposition and indeed is now known to be wrong; they rather belong to the independent family Acanthizidae.
Region
New Guinea and adjacent ranges
Typical Environment
Occurs widely across the island of New Guinea in both Papua New Guinea and Indonesian Papua, from lowland rainforest to foothill and montane forests. Prefers dense undergrowth, vine tangles, and forest edges, often near streams and in secondary growth. It adapts well to disturbed habitats provided there is thick cover. Frequently found from the forest floor up to the mid-understorey, rarely venturing into the canopy.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 2500 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Also known as Beccari's scrubwren, this small understorey songbird is endemic to New Guinea and belongs to the family Acanthizidae. It forages low in dense vegetation and often joins mixed-species flocks. The species name honors Italian naturalist Odoardo Beccari. Its skulking habits make it more often heard than seen.
Temperament
skulking and active
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats, low to the ground
Social Behavior
Usually seen in pairs or small family parties, often accompanying mixed-species feeding flocks in the understorey. Likely monogamous, with both parents involved in care. Nests are typically domed or globular structures placed low in dense vegetation.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A series of high, thin chips and trills, often delivered from within dense cover. Contact calls are soft, ticking notes repeated in quick succession. Song can include short, musical phrases mixed with scolding notes when alarmed.
Plumage
Plain to slightly mottled brown-olive upperparts with buffy to grayish underparts and faint streaking on the throat and breast. Subtle pale supercilium and darker lores give a soft-faced look. Feathers are soft and loose, aiding a fluffy appearance when fluffed in cover.
Diet
Feeds primarily on small insects and other arthropods such as beetles, caterpillars, spiders, and ants. Gleans prey from leaves, stems, and mossy branches and occasionally probes bark crevices. Will also take small larvae and may opportunistically snatch tiny invertebrates from the leaf litter.
Preferred Environment
Forages in dense undergrowth of primary and secondary forest, bamboo thickets, vine tangles, and along forest edges. Often remains within a meter or two of the ground, moving methodically through cover.
