Fernwren
Oreoscopus gutturalis
The Fernwren (Oreoscopus gutturalis) is a rare gerygones, thornbills, scrubwrens, and alli found only in Australia, weighing about 20 g. The fernwren is a species of bird in the family Acanthizidae.




About the Fernwren
The fernwren is a species of bird in the family Acanthizidae. It is monotypic within the genus Oreoscopus.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
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.
Where it lives
When to see it
Best months: January, June, July, August, September, October, November, December, with peak activity in October. It is a variable species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Fernwren?
- The fernwren has a white eyebrow and throat, enclosing a dark brown face. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Fernwren?
- The Fernwren is a small sized bird weighing about 20 g.
- Where can you see a Fernwren?
- The Fernwren is endemic to Australia, which is the only country where it occurs.
- What birds look similar to a Fernwren?
- The Fernwren is most easily confused with the Slender-billed Thornbill, the Dusky Gerygone and the Yellow-bellied Gerygone.
- Is the Fernwren endangered?
- The Fernwren is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Fernwren for real
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