Australia
SpeciesField NotesLog inDownload

Field notes

Stay in the loop

Get updates, new features, and Australian birding news.

By subscribing, I agree to receive BirdUp Australia updates, new features, and Australian birding news.

Australia
Download for iOSDownload for AndroidSpeciesField NotesRSSNewsletterBrandPrivacyTerms

BirdUp Australia Pty Ltd © 2026. Made in Australia for Australian birders.

  1. Species
  2. ›
  3. Climacteridae
  4. ›
  5. Climacteris
  6. ›
  7. Black-tailed Treecreeper
Black-tailed Treecreeper
Photo · (c) Kym Nicolson, some rights reserved (CC BY)

BirdUp · Species

Black-tailed Treecreeper

Climacteris melanurusGould, 1843

Updated 21 March 2026

Origin: Endemic
Order
PASSERIFORMES
Family
Climacteridae
Genus
Climacteris

At a glance

The Black-tailed Treecreeper is a small bird, about 16–19 cm long, endemic to Australia. It can be seen year-round.

Size
16–19 cm
Origin
Endemic
Best seen
Year-round
Commonness
Endemic
  • Identification
  • Where
  • When
  • Behaviour
  • Gallery

01 · Identification

How to tell it apart

What does a Black-tailed Treecreeper look like?

The Black-tailed Treecreeper is a small bird, about 16–19 cm long and weighing 26–38 g.

The black-tailed treecreeper is a species of bird in the family Climacteridae. It is endemic to north and northwestern Australia and is the only treecreeper species found throughout most of its range. It belongs to the genus Climacteris and is noticeably darker than the other members of the genus.

Description · wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Field specs

Length
16–19 cm
Weight
26–38 g

Measurements · avonet · CC BY 4.0

03 · When

When to look

When can you see a Black-tailed Treecreeper?

The Black-tailed Treecreeper is present across its Australian range year-round, so it can be seen in any month.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

05 · Behaviour

Habits and haunts

What does a Black-tailed Treecreeper eat?

The Black-tailed Treecreeper feeds on terrestrial invertebrates, usually foraging in pairs or flocks.

06 · Gallery

Plumage up close

3 photos

The BirdUp app

Log your next Black-tailed Treecreeper in the field

A pocket field journal for 850+ Australian birds. Offline-first, smart ID, and a lifelist that travels with you.

Get the appRead field notes
Spotted something wrong on this page? Report incorrect info

02 · Where

Where to find it

Where does the Black-tailed Treecreeper live in Australia?

The Black-tailed Treecreeper is endemic to Australia, recorded across 26 of Australia’s bioregions, with a core range spanning north-central and west-central Australia.

BreedingNorth-central and west-central Australia

Distribution from BirdUp Australia community data

Legend

  • Vagrant
  • Resident

7 regions recorded