Which forest for treecreepers?
Photo: Arne Ader
Translation Liis
Treecreeper
Treecreeper Porr Certhia familiaris
Treecreepers are generally not seen at the usual winter birdfeeders, but certainly in parks and cemeteries or mixed forests with conifers. They often accompany great tit flocks where they are noticed because of their feeding habits.
We can rarely see them in action on the ground or on the smaller branches of trees. They fly into a tree crown rather near the ground and begin moving towards the tip. In a spiral movement they carefully check bark crevices as well as the hiding nooks in the lichens - looking for wintering invertebrates or insects, up to about half the height of the tree. When one tree has been checked the bird ”dives” head first to the trunk of the next tree and everything is repeated as thoroughly again.
The operations with the long crooked beak seem to be quite efficient. The brown eyes are shadowed by white eyebrows. Moving on tree trunks they lean on the tail like woodpeckers; the tail is stiff and with a sharp tip. Underparts are white. There is no difficulty in identifying the bird.
On a dusky winter day the shining white feathers on the throat, which reflect light into dark bark crevices, are a good help.
Tags: 
