Birds Photo Click 119: Short- toed Treecreeper.

Certhia brachydactyla

Photographed in Sicily, Italy.

The Short-toed Treecreeper is a diminutive bird, distributed in the warmer regions of Europe, Turkey and north Africa.

It’s preferred habitat is woodlands, preferring mature trees, especially oak trees.

Their diet consists of invertebrates, especially insects. They have a curious feeding behaviour. They fly to the base of a tree trunk and start spiralling up the bark feeding and often calling as they move. Once on top of the tree they fly to the base of a new one and start over again.

They also have three particular anatomical, characteristics. They have a cryptic plumage, so that they can mimic against their background, typically tree trunks. A decurved bill which is used to pick invertebrates from behind or beneath the bark and stiff tail feathers which support them as they climb along tree trunks.

Photographed in Sicily, Italy.

There are five recognized subspecies.