Brown Creeper

Certhia americana
Creeper family (Certhiidae)

Habitat:
Deciduous forest.

Description:
Small brown bird, 5” long.  Brown-streaked above, whitish below.  Well camouflaged against the bark of a tree.  Relatively long downcurved bill.  Long pointed tail feathers, used as a prop while climbing tree.  Distinctive habit of feeding – creeps up a tree trunk then drops down to the base of the next tree and starts up again.

Nesting:
Does not nest in this region.

Voice:
Call is a high-pitched “tseee”.

Name Origin:
Certhia, Latin, certhius, for “a creeper”; americana, American, to differentiate it from the Eurasian creeper.

In the Nature Park:
Winter resident.  Migrates north to New England and southern Canada during the nesting season.  Departs in April, arrives in October.