Treecreepers: Family Certhiidae

Treecreepers are a small family of passerine birds with spotty distribution in Eurasia, Africa, and North America. Like their close relatives, the nuthatches, these birds are normally found hunting insects on the trunk of pine and oak trees. You may find it difficult to spot these birds during your walks in the woods, because when a treecreeper feels threatened it will expand its wings and press its body against the trunk of the tree, sometimes blending in perfectly with the bark. Most treecreepers have a nutty- brown plumage and dull white underparts to help them blend in and protect themselves. Species in this family have long, sharp, curved beaks and long rigid tail feathers.

Interspecies Mingling and Behavior

Treecreepers are primarily insectivores, searching for insects in the bark of a tree with their long curved beaks. These birds have specialized muscles and long hooked talons to grip the uneven surface of tree bark, and use their long rigid tail to help them hop along the side of a tree. Unlike Nuthatches, who are able to walk up and down a tree, treecreepers fling themselves up, often spiraling as they do it. They are unable to walk down a tree, and so after it reaches the top of one tree it will fly down and spiral up another.

Treecreepers are fairly social outside the breeding season, and often form small flocks. They also tolerate the company of other bird species such as chickadees, and will often be found foraging along side them. During the winter, these birds will often live crammed up together in a small crevice or birdhouse. Like many small birds, treecreepers conserve body heat during the winter by snuggling. Sometimes the spaces can get so tight that some birds in the group actually suffocate (The dreaded "Death by Snuggle").

Taxonomy

Treecreepers are closely related to Nuthatches, Wallcreepers and wrens. They most likely evolved in Europe about 15-20 million years ago. There are 2 genera and 8 species of Treecreepers. Genera include:

Genus Certhia
Genus Salpornis