Treecreepers (Certhiidae)
Short-toed Treecreeper (Certhia brachydactyla) - HBW 13, p. 183
French: Grimpereau des jardins
German: Gartenbaumläufer
Spanish: Agateador Europeo
Taxonomy: Certhia brachydactyla C. L. Brehm, 1820, Roda Valley, Thuringia, Germany.
Recent genetic evidence (cytochrome b) indicates that this species is closest to C. americana. Geographical variation slight and largely clinal, but N African race mauritanica exhibits moderately well-marked genetic and also vocal differences from European races and may merit separate species status; further study required. Nominate race and megarhynchos intergrade in C Pyrenees, W & S Spain and S Portugal. Racial affiliation of birds in Caucasus uncertain, currently included in stresemanni; similarly, those on larger Ionian Is (Greece) placed with dor.. View all taxonomy...
Taxonomy: Certhia brachydactyla C. L. Brehm, 1820, Roda Valley, Thuringia, Germany.
Recent genetic evidence (cytochrome b) indicates that this species is closest to C. americana. Geographical variation slight and largely clinal, but N African race mauritanica exhibits moderately well-marked genetic and also vocal differences from European races and may merit separate species status; further study required. Nominate race and megarhynchos intergrade in C Pyrenees, W & S Spain and S Portugal. Racial affiliation of birds in Caucasus uncertain, currently included in stresemanni; similarly, those on larger Ionian Is (Greece) placed with dorotheae, but further study needed. Proposed race rossocaucasica (described from Sochi-Khosta region of NW Caucasus) possibly worthy of recognition; harterti (described from NW Turkey) is considered a synonym of nominate. Five subspecies currently recognized.
Recent genetic evidence (cytochrome b) indicates that this species is closest to C. americana. Geographical variation slight and largely clinal, but N African race mauritanica exhibits moderately well-marked genetic and also vocal differences from European races and may merit separate species status; further study required. Nominate race and megarhynchos intergrade in C Pyrenees, W & S Spain and S Portugal. Racial affiliation of birds in Caucasus uncertain, currently included in stresemanni; similarly, those on larger Ionian Is (Greece) placed with dorotheae, but further study needed. Proposed race rossocaucasica (described from Sochi-Khosta region of NW Caucasus) possibly worthy of recognition; harterti (described from NW Turkey) is considered a synonym of nominate. Five subspecies currently recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution:
- megarhynchos C. L. Brehm, 1831 - Channel Is, W & N France, Belgium, Netherlands and W Germany S to NW Spain and Portugal.
- brachydactyla C. L. Brehm, 1820 - S Denmark, Poland and extreme S Lithuania S to E & SE France, Spain (except NW), C Germany, Italy, Sicily, Greece (except S), Hungary, W Ukraine, very locally Romania, and W Turkey.
- mauritanica Witherby, 1905 - Morocco (S to Moyen and Haut Atlas), Algeria (S to Atlas Saharien and Aurès range) and NW Tunisia.
- megarhynchos C. L. Brehm, 1831 - Channel Is, W & N France, Belgium, Netherlands and W Germany S to NW Spain and Portugal.
- brachydactyla C. L. Brehm, 1820 - S Denmark, Poland and extreme S Lithuania S to E & SE France, Spain (except NW), C Germany, Italy, Sicily, Greece (except S), Hungary, W Ukraine, very locally Romania, and W Turkey.
- mauritanica Witherby, 1905 - Morocco (S to Moyen and Haut Atlas), Algeria (S to Atlas Saharien and Aurès range) and NW Tunisia.
- dorotheae E. J. O. Hartert, 1904 - S Greece (and most of larger Ionian Is), Crete and Cyprus.
- stresemanni Kummerlöwe & Niethammer, 1934 - C Turkey; also foot of W Caucasus on Black Sea coast (E at least to NC Georgia).
- Least Concern Enlarge map
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One adult with preys in its bill, and then a second one, creeping Locality Forêt de Fontainebleau, France (ssp brachydactyla)
Julien Rochefort 23 May 2007 4 years ago 49 sec 4.3 -
A male creeping, singing and preening Locality Forêt de Sénart, France (ssp brachydactyla)
Julien Rochefort 2 April 2007 4 years ago 1 min 6 sec 4.2 -
A bird climbing up a trunk, singing twice Locality Dayet Aoua, Meknès-Tafilalet Region, Morocco (ssp mauritanica)
Josep del Hoyo 31 March 2007 4 years ago 23 sec 3.9 -
Two juveniles, one behind being fed by an adult Locality Forêt de Fontainebleau, France (ssp brachydactyla)
Julien Rochefort 23 May 2007 4 years ago 25 sec 3.9 -
An adult bird comming to the nest for feeding the chicks, in a dead ash tree, and going away Locality Soto del Real, Madrid, Spain (ssp brachydactyla)
Alex García · Videoaves 30 April 2006 4 years ago 13 sec 3.8 -
A bird foraging climing up a tree. Locality Amsterdamse Waterleidingduinen, Zandvoort, North Holland Province, Netherlands (ssp megarhynchos)
Yoel Jimenez 29 January 2011 1 year ago 50 sec 3.7
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Treecreeper jumps backwards to catch an insect
Locality Rotterdam, South Holland Province, Netherlands
Rob Belterman 16 April 2008 1 year ago 4.5 -
A bird foraging in tree
Locality Landes, Aquitanie, France
Nicole Bouglouan 17 October 2005 1 year ago 3.8 -
A bird foraging on tree-trunk
Locality Landes, Aquitanie, France
Nicole Bouglouan 29 June 2007 1 year ago 3.5 -
Adult running up a tree
Locality Rügen Island, Rügen District, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany
Susanne Rintelen 11 March 2010 1 year ago 3.5 -
A bird climbing a trunk
Locality Girona Province, Catalonia, Spain
Aleix Comas 13 December 2008 2 years ago 3.5 -
Short-toed Treecreeper running up the tree
Locality Düsseldorf, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Hermes 2 April 2010 1 year ago 2.8
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calls when creeping on trunk Locality Groningen Province, Netherlands
(ssp megarhynchos)
Dusan Brinkhuizen 25 March 2005 2 years ago 3.5 -
A singing male Locality Castricum, North Holland Province, Netherlands
(ssp megarhynchos )
Stuart Fisher 31 May 2002 2 years ago 3.5
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