# Short-toed Treecreeper (*Certhia brachydactyla*) The Short-toed Treecreeper is a small bird that loves to climb trees. It has a special curved beak that helps it find tasty insects hiding in the bark. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Forests ![Short-toed Treecreeper](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Short-toed_treecreeper_%28Certhia_brachydactyla_megarhynchos%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Short-toed_treecreeper_%28Certhia_brachydactyla_megarhynchos%29.jpg) ## Appearance The Short-toed Treecreeper has brown upperparts beautifully streaked with buff and white, resembling tree bark. Its underside is a duller, 'dirty' white, and it features a prominent white eyebrow stripe. It also possesses a long, slender, downcurved bill. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Passeriformes - **Family:** Certhiidae - **Genus:** Certhia ## Interesting facts - Its high-pitched song can sound like a whispering, musical trill! - They often sleep huddled together in tree crevices to keep warm. - This bird nests inside tree holes, sometimes using spider silk to line it! - This tiny bird uses its stiff tail like a third leg for climbing trees! ## Special abilities - **Bark Scuttler:** Short-toed Treecreeper can spiral gracefully up tree trunks because of its unique foot structure and stiff tail feathers that help them cling and prop. - **Crevice Hunter:** Short-toed Treecreeper has a long, downcurved bill that helps them probe deep into bark crevices to extract hidden insects and spiders. - **Nature's Camo:** Short-toed Treecreeper has streaky brown plumage that helps them blend perfectly with tree bark, making them incredibly hard to spot. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 12-13.5 cm - **Wingspan:** 17-21 cm - **Weight:** 0.007-0.012 kg - **Lifespan:** 2-5 years - **Speed:** 35 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 4-7 - **Incubation:** 13-15 days ## Diet & Feeding This bird loves to eat tiny insects and spiders it finds hiding in tree bark. - **Primary Foods:** beetle larvae, spiders, ants, moths, woodlice, aphids - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Tawny Owl](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tawny-owl) (*Strix aluco*) — An nocturnal predator that hunts this small bird. - **Eaten by:** [Eurasian Sparrowhawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eurasian-sparrowhawk) (*Accipiter nisus*) — A swift raptor known to hunt small forest birds. - **Eats:** Elm Bark Beetle (*Scolytus scolytus*) — Consumes these beetles and their larvae from bark. - **Depends on:** Common Oak (*Quercus robur*) — Relies on oak trees for foraging habitat and nesting spots. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Singing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/singing): Singing animals produce complex vocalizations, often for purposes of attracting mates, defending territory, or communicating within their species. - [Arboreal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/arboreal): Arboreal animals live primarily in trees, utilizing them for shelter, food, and protection from predators. - [Camouflaged](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/camouflaged): Camouflaged describes organisms that possess coloring or patterns that allow them to blend into their environment. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch birds from a distance and don't try to touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Short-toed Treecreeper? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Short-toed Treecreeper? 12-13.5 cm ### What is Short-toed Treecreeper's wingspan? 17-21 cm ### How much does Short-toed Treecreeper weigh? 0.007-0.012 kg ### How long does Short-toed Treecreeper live? 2-5 years ### How fast can Short-toed Treecreeper move? 35 km/h ### What does Short-toed Treecreeper eat? This bird loves to eat tiny insects and spiders it finds hiding in tree bark. ### Where is Short-toed Treecreeper usually found? Forests ## Where to spot - [Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/sierra-de-grazalema-natural-park) — Andalucía, ES · Park - [Wertwiesenpark Heilbronn](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/wertwiesenpark-heilbronn) — Baden-Württemberg, DE · Park - [Dehesa de la Villa Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/dehesa-de-la-villa-park) — Comunidad de Madrid, ES · Park - [Saja-Besaya Natural Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/saja-besaya-natural-park) — Cantabria, ES · Park [View all places to see Short-toed Treecreeper](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/short-toed-treecreeper) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Short-toed Treecreeper: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/short-toed-treecreeper)