Certhia brachydactyla
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.
There are five recognized subspecies.
We have a Eurasian tree creeper.
Winter migrant.
He comes around my home every year.
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Interesting. Would be interesting to know where it comes from.
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He has an almost identical cousin here in North America, the Brown Creeper. Same behavior as well.
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Yes in fact they are very closely related.
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