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Fernwren
Conservation status
Endangered  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Acanthizidae
Genus:	Oreoscopus North, 1905
Species:	O. gutturalis
Binomial name
Oreoscopus gutturalis (De Vis, 1889)

The fernwren (Oreoscopus gutturalis) is a species of bird in the family Acanthizidae. It is monotypic within the genus Oreoscopus.

It is endemic to northern Queensland in Australia. Its natural habitats are tropical moist lowland forest and tropical moist montane forest.

Taxonomy

The fernwren was first described by the English zoologist and ornithologist Charles Walter De Vis in 1889, and grouped with the scrubwrens as Sericornis gutturalis. It was later included in the genus Crateroscelis, along with three species of mouse-warblers found in New Guinea, but was subsequently moved to the monotypic genus Oreoscopus (established by North in 1905). The fernwren is a basal (subfamily) member of Acanthizidae and sister to the genus Pachycare.

The generic name Oreoscopus derives from the Ancient Greek oros meaning 'mountain' and scopos meaning 'guardian' or 'watcher'. The specific epithet gutturalis is Mediaeval Latin for 'of the throat', referring to the prominent white throat of this species. It was also known colloquially as the collared scrubwren.

Description

The fernwren has a white eyebrow and throat, enclosing a dark brown face. Beneath the white throat, it has a black bib. It has a long-slender bill. The upperparts are dark olive-brown and the underparts paler. It is 12–14 cm (4.7–5.5 in) in length. The female is very similar to the male. Juveniles are dark brown without the white facial markings of the adult.

Distribution and habitat

The fernwren is found in northeast Queensland rainforest between 300–1,500 m (980–4,920 ft) above sea-level, although more often above 650 m (2,130 ft). It is found in the Paluma Range, near Townsville, and from the Tully Gorge National Park northwards to Cape Tribulation. It is sedentary and classified as endangered on the IUCN Red List.

Behaviour

The fernwren forages in the moist leaf-litter amongst the ferns and dense shrubbery, particularly in shady gullies of highland rainforests. As it searches through the accumulated debris of the forest floor, it frequently bows its head and flicks its short tail. It feeds on arthropods and small skinks (Scincidae). It has a variety of calls, including high-pitched squeaks and whistles, a softer chattering sequence, and a buzzing, scolding call.

Breeding

In the breeding season from July to January (mainly October and November), the male and female fernwrens together construct a domed nest, often hidden beneath an overhanging bank, fallen log or in a small cave amid the ferns. The nest is composed of twigs, rootlets, moss, and lichen. The female lays a clutch of two eggs, which are glossy white, sometimes finely spotted chestnut and tan. The eggs measure 22 mm (0.87 in) long by 17 mm (0.67 in) wide. Incubation by the female lasts about 29 days, and nestlings are fed by both sexes for 21-23 days.

References

1. BirdLife International (2022). "Oreoscopus gutturalis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2022: e.T22704520A210662799. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
2. Del Hoyo, J.; Elliot, A. & Christie D. (editors). (2006). Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 12: Picathartes to Tits and Chickadees. Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-84-96553-42-2
3. Schodde, R. and Christidis, L. (2014). "Relicts from Tertiary Australasia: undescribed families and subfamilies of songbirds (Passeriformes) and their zoogeographic signal". Zootaxa. 3786 (5): 501–522.
4. Gill, F. and D. Donsker, eds. (2020). IOC World Bird List (v 10.1). Doi 10.14344/IOC.ML.10.1. http://www.worldbirdnames.org/
5. Jobling, James A. "Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird-names". p. 283. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
6. Jobling, James A. "Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird-names". p. 182. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
7. ^ Pizzey, Graham; Doyle, Roy (1980) A Field Guide to the Birds of Australia. Collins Publishers, Sydney. ISBN o73222436-5
8. ^ Morcombe, Michael (2012) Field Guide to Australian Birds. Pascal Press, Glebe, NSW. Revised edition. ISBN 978174021417-9
9. ^ Simpson, Ken, Day, N. and Trusler, P. (6th edn., 1999). Field Guide to the Birds of Australia. Ringwood, Victoria: Penguin Books Australia ISBN 067087918-5.
10. ^ BirdLife International (2016). "Oreoscopus gutturalis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22704520A93973740. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22704520A93973740.en. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
11. "eBird species map: Fernwren". Retrieved 2020-04-16.
12. ^ Gregory, P. (2020). "Fernwren (Oreoscopus gutturalis), version 1.0." In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.fernwr1.01

v t e Genera of passerines and their extinct allies
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Clade: Psittacopasseres Order: Passeriformes
Passeriformes incertae sedis †Corvitalusoides †Jamna †Winnicavis †Yunnanus Acanthisitti Acanthisittidae Acanthisitta †Dendroscansor †Kuiornis †Pachyplichas †Traversia Xenicus Eupasseres Tyranni †Crosnoornis †Wieslochia Eurylaimides Calyptomenidae Calyptomena Smithornis Eurylaimidae Corydon Cymbirhynchus Eurylaimus Psarisomus Pseudocalyptomena Sarcophanops Serilophus Philepittidae Neodrepanis Philepitta Pittidae Erythropitta Hydrornis Pitta Sapayoidae Sapayoa Tyrannides See below ↓ Passeri See below ↓
Tyrannides Conopophagidae Cephalopterus Conopophaga Pittasoma Cotingidae Ampelioides Ampelion Carpodectes Carpornis Conioptilon Cotinga Doliornis Gymnoderus Haematoderus Lipaugus Querula Perissocephalus Phibalura Phoenicircus Phytotoma Pipreola Porphyrolaema Procnias Pyroderus Rupicola Snowornis Xipholena Zaratornis Formicariidae Chamaeza Formicarius Furnariidae Berlepschia †Pseudoseisuropsis Sclerurinae Geositta Sclerurus Dendrocolaptinae Dendrocolaptini Campylorhamphus Dendrexetastes Dendrocolaptes Dendroplex Drymornis Drymotoxeres Glyphorynchus Hylexetastes Lepidocolaptes Nasica Xiphocolaptes Xiphorhynchus Sittasomini Certhiasomus Dendrocincla Deconychura Sittasomus Furnariinae Xenops Pygarrhichini Microxenops Ochetorhynchus Pygarrhichas Furnariini Cinclodes Furnarius Geocerthia Limnornis Lochmias Phleocryptes Premnornis Pseudocolaptes Tarphonomus Upucerthia Philydorini Anabacerthia Anabazenops Ancistrops Automolus Cichlocolaptes Clibanornis Dendroma Heliobletus Megaxenops Philydor Syndactyla Thripadectes Synallaxini Acrobatornis Anumbius Aphrastura Asthenes Certhiaxis Coryphistera Cranioleuca Hellmayrea Leptasthenura Limnoctites Margarornis Mazaria Metopothrix Phacellodomus Premnoplex Pseudasthenes Pseudoseisura Roraimia Schoeniophylax Siptornis Spartonoica Sylviorthorhynchus Synallaxis Thripophaga Xenerpestes Grallariidae Cryptopezus Grallaria Grallaricula Hylopezus Myrmothera Melanopareiidae Melanopareia Pipridae Ceratopipra Chiroxiphia Chloropipo Corapipo Cryptopipo Heterocercus Ilicura Lepidothrix Machaeropterus Manacus Masius Neopelma Pipra Pseudopipra Tyranneutes Xenopipo Rhinocryptidae Acropternis Eleoscytalopus Eugralla Liosceles Merulaxis Myornis Psilorhamphus Pteroptochos Rhinocrypta Scelorchilus Scytalopus Teledromas Thamnophilidae Euchrepomidinae Euchrepomis Myrmornithinae Myrmornis Pygiptila Thamnistes Thamnophilinae Formicivorini Formicivora Myrmochanes Myrmotherula Terenura Microrhopiini Ammonastes Aprositornis Clytoctantes Epinecrophylla Microrhopias Myrmophylax Myrmorchilus Neoctantes Pithyini Cercomacra Cercomacroides Drymophila Gymnopithys Hypocnemis Oneillornis Phaenostictus Phlegopsis Pithys Rhegmatorhina Sciaphylax Willisornis Pyriglenini Akletos Ampelornis Gymnocichla Hafferia Hylophylax Hypocnemoides Myrmeciza Myrmelastes Myrmoborus Myrmoderus Percnostola Poliocrania Pyriglena Rhopornis Sclateria Sipia Thamnophilini Batara Biatas Cymbilaimus Dichrozona Dysithamnus Frederickena Herpsilochmus Hypoedaleus Isleria Mackenziaena Megastictus Radinopsyche Rhopias Sakesphoroides Sakesphorus Taraba Thamnomanes Thamnophilus Xenornis Tityridae Iodopleura Laniisoma Laniocera Myiobius Onychorhynchus Oxyruncus Pachyramphus Schiffornis Terenotriccus Tityra Xenopsaris Tyrannidae Agriornis Alectrurus Anairetes Aphanotriccus Arundinicola Atalotriccus Attila Calyptura Camptostoma Capsiempis Casiornis Cnemarchus Cnemotriccus Cnipodectes Colonia Colorhamphus Conopias Contopus Corythopis Culicivora Elaenia Empidonax Empidonomus Euscarthmus Fluvicola Griseotyrannus Gubernetes Guyramemua Hemitriccus Heteroxolmis Hirundinea Hymenops Inezia Knipolegus Lathrotriccus Legatus Lessonia Leptopogon Lophotriccus Machetornis Mecocerculus Megarynchus Mionectes Mitrephanes Muscigralla Muscipipra Muscisaxicola Myiarchus Myiodynastes Myiopagis Myiophobus Myiornis Myiotheretes Myiotriccus Myiozetetes Nengetus Neopipo Neoxolmis Nephelomyias Nesotriccus Ochthoeca Ochthornis Oncostoma Ornithion Phelpsia Philohydor Phyllomyias Phylloscartes Piprites Pitangus Platyrinchus Poecilotriccus Pogonotriccus Polystictus Pseudelaenia Pseudocolopteryx Pseudotriccus Pyrocephalus Pyrope Pyrrhomyias Ramphotrigon Rhynchocyclus Rhytipterna Satrapa Sayornis Serpophaga Silvicultrix Sirystes Stigmatura Sublegatus Suiriri Syrtidicola Tachuris Taeniotriccus Todirostrum Tolmomyias Tumbezia Tyrannopsis Tyrannulus Tyrannus Uromyias Xenotriccus Xolmis Zimmerius
Passeri †Resoviaornis Acanthizidae Acanthiza Acanthornis Aethomyias Aphelocephala Calamanthus Gerygone Hylacola Neosericornis Oreoscopus Origma Pachycare Pycnoptilus Pyrrholaemus Sericornis Smicrornis Atrichornithidae Atrichornis Callaeidae Callaeas †Heteralocha Philesturnus Climacteridae Climacteris Cormobates Cnemophilidae Cnemophilus Loboparadisea Dasyornithidae Dasyornis Maluridae Amytornithinae Amytornis Malurinae Malurini Chenorhamphus Clytomyias Malurus Sipodotus Stipiturini Stipiturus Melanocharitidae Melanocharis Oedistoma Rhamphocharis Toxorhamphus Meliphagidae Acanthagenys Acanthorhynchus Anthochaera Anthornis Ashbyia Bolemoreus Caligavis Certhionyx Cissomela Conopophila Entomyzon Epthianura Foulehaio Gavicalis Gliciphila Glycichaera Glycifohia Grantiella Guadalcanaria Gymnomyza Lichenostomus Lichmera Macgregoria Manorina Meliarchus Melidectes Melilestes Melionyx Meliphacator Meliphaga Melipotes Melithreptus Melitograis Microptilotis Myza Myzomela Nesoptilotis Oreornis Plectorhyncha Philemon Phylidonyris Ptiloprora Ptilotula Prosthemadera Purnella Pycnopygius Ramsayornis Stomiopera Stresemannia Sugomel Territornis Timeliopsis Trichodere Vosea Xanthotis Menuridae Menura Notiomystidae Notiomystis Orthonychidae Orthonyx †Palaeoscinidae Palaeoscinis Pardalotidae Pardalotus Pomatostomidae Garritornis Pomatostomus Ptilonorhynchidae Ailuroedus Amblyornis Archboldia Chlamydera Prionodura Ptilonorhynchus Scenopoeetes †Sericuloides Sericulus Corvides See Corvides Passerida See Passerida

• IUCN Red List endangered species
• Acanthizidae
• Birds of Cape York Peninsula
• Endemic birds of Australia
• Birds described in 1889