(aka Spotted Treecreeper)
Lake Awassa, Ethiopia
January 2016
Spotted Creeper is distributed sporadically in Africa and in India. See the distribution map at Birdlife International. Some authorities treat the Indian population as a species - the Indian Spotted Creeper. In Ethiopia it is found in open woodland at between 1,800 and 2,400 metres.
It is well camouflaged and can be difficult to see. It forages for insects on tree trunks or large branches working upwards then flying down to the base of the next tree.
It differs from the Certhia treecreepers found in the northern hemisphere by the fact that it does not have stiffened tail feathers so it climbs without the use of the tail for balance. It also nests in an open cup on a tree fork rather than in a hole in a tree.| Previous Page | Back to Index | Next Page |