Did I see something in that tree?
Did I just see some movement over on that tree?
Well, now I’m not so sure. All I see is bark.
No, wait, there it is again!
Aha! Now I see it. On the side of the tree. I’ve just found a Brown Creeper.
There it is! Now we can see the Brown Creeper.
As you can see in these photos the Brown Creeper does a remarkable job of blending in when its back is to you. Its feathers are a mottled mix of various shades of brown that perfectly match the bark of the trees it spends almost all its time scaling. And when I say scaling, that’s exactly what it does. The Brown Creeper typically starts at the base of a tree, then slowly spirals up the trunk of the tree, sometimes moving out onto branches. When it reaches high enough it flies back down to the bottom of another tree and starts the process all over again.
These little birds in some ways resemble the body shape of nuthatches, which also spend a lot of time on trees. You will see nuthatches hopping up and down tree trunks, but Brown Creepers are most often seen hopping up the tree.
They spend all this time hopping up trees looking for insects, spiders, or their eggs or pupae, hoping to grab a quick meal. And, of course, they will also nest in the tree, often under peeling bark, though I’ve never seen one nesting.
In Northern Virginia Brown Creepers tend to be some of our winter visitors, having migrated south from more northernly climes. We start seeing them in late fall, maybe October or November. Winter is often thought of as the time when the variety of bird species declines locally, leaving less to see. But species like the Brown Creeper help keep things interesting by showing up as many other species are leaving. So there’s always something to see out there.
Have you ever seen a Brown Creeper? They’re found in large portions of North America, but because of their size and camouflaged feather patterns they can be difficult to see. Just look for movement on tree trunks, especially in well established wooded areas. And keep your eye open for that flash of white underside as they spiral around the side of the tree trunk.
Brown Creepers are marvelous little birds.
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