Article by J.G. Turner
This tree-climbing bird has a tiny, slim body that is well-camouflage with brown streaks on its back, white under parts, a yellowish bar across the wing and a buff stripe over the eye. The Brown Creeper, also known as the Tree-Creeper, is a permanent Alberta resident found in parkland, mountain and boreal forests at many elevations. These creepers are found in mixed woods but seem to prefer coniferous areas for their breeding grounds; however, in the winter, they move to more varied environments and are easier to find in deciduous woodlands.
Fun Facts:
- The Brown Creeper got its name because it climbs (or creeps) in an upward spiral from the bottom of a tree while it forages for food. The short legs and long curved claws allow this creeper to hook into the bark.
- The Tree-Creeper uses its unique bill to probe into crevices in the bark to eat small insects and spiders.
- The male finds the materials for a nest, but the female is the one that builds the nest. The male sings to the female (a high thin trill) from nearby while the female works.
- Although the Brown Creeper may pass a Nuthatch working its way from the top of a tree to the bottom, there is no competition between these birds as the Brown Creeper can reach into spots and find food where the Nuthatch cannot reach.
- Due to their tiny size and weak call, Brown Creepers are very inconspicuous birds, so it is thought that estimates of the birds’ dispersal and numbers are conservative.
- You can attract this inconspicuous little bird to a feeder by offering suet (especially if it is smeared right onto a tree trunk), peanuts and bread crusts. During the winter, they will also eat seeds.
If you find an injured or orphaned wild bird or animal in distress, please contact the Calgary Wildlife Rehabilitation Society hotline at 403-214-1312 for tips, instructions and advice, or look at the website at www.calgarywildlife.org for more information.
