Search Help

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.

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.

     See all 5 subspecies
  • 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).

Photos

18 photos
About us | Contact us | FAQ | Permalink