Brown Creeper (Certhia Americana) Michael J. Hamas
Grayling Township, Crawford Co., MI (Click to view a comparison of Atlas I to II) 6/11/2009 © Warren Whaley (1893) and Barrow (1912). Barrow (1912) Elusive, cryptic, and unobtrusive are just a few described the creepers as a likely breeding bird of the adjectives that describe the Brown in every county of the state, and Wood (1951) Creeper. As the only representative of its avian summarized seasonal records from both the LP family in North America, the Brown Creeper and UP. may be found in a wide array of forested habitats throughout the continent. From Alaska Detection of Brown Creepers in the SLP east to Newfoundland and south as far as exhibited little change between the two atlas Central America, the high-pitched call or periods despite an increase in the number of melodious song of a creeper may be heard in townships surveyed during MBBA II. Indeed, closed canopy forests having an abundance of some of the same counties in which no birds large dead or dying trees for nesting (Hejl et al occurred during MBBA I have remained 2002). The species is likely to be heard before it uninhabited. In the UP however, evidence of is seen and, given its secretive behavior, its breeding during MBBA II was 1.5 times greater presence may be completely overlooked. While than the number of creepers detected during the Brown Creeper may be a year round resident MBBA I; the number of townships in which throughout much of its breeding range, breeding creepers were detected increased from 232 to abundance is low in most regions (Sauer et al. 361. 2008). In Michigan, creepers occur locally in woodlands in the LP and UP throughout the Noticeably absent from agricultural areas of the year, although seasonal abundance can vary LP, breeding creepers may also be limited by especially during migration. forest fragmentation, especially in the SLP (Hamas 1991). In northern Michigan, Brown Distribution Creepers typically occur in coniferous or mixed First listed for Michigan by Sager (1839), the deciduous-coniferous woodlands. Forested first historic breeding records for Brown floodplains, cedar swamps, and bogs provide Creepers were noted by Cook additional nesting habitat for breeding birds.
© 2011 Kalamazoo Nature Center Brown Creeper (Certhia Americana) Michael J. Hamas
Breeding Biology secure. Nevertheless, Wiggins (2005) noted that Both adults select the nest site (Davis 1978) data collection methods for creepers may not which is usually tucked beneath a loose shingle provide accurate assessments of abundance, and of bark peeling away from the main trunk of a more accurate censusing methods are needed for dead or dying tree. Attached to the inner surface this elusive species. of the bark by cocoons and spider egg-cases (Hejl et al 2002), the cupped nest is comprised Conservation Needs of twigs, strips of bark, and vegetation Brown Creepers are not currently species of fragments. Clutch size consists of five or six conservation concern in North America. eggs that are arranged lengthwise in two rows Nevertheless, they are known to be sensitive to (Davis 1978). Only the female incubates. forest management practices including logging Incubation period and nestling period are and fragmentation (Wiggins 2005). Minimum approximately 15 days each (Hejl 2002), and size of suitable forest fragments for creepers can fledglings remain in a group(s) associated with vary (Askins et al. 1987, Fowler and Howe parents, sometimes for several weeks (Davis 1987), but an abundance of mature and old- 1978). growth trees as well as high canopy cover appear to be key factors defining suitable Abundance and Population Trends habitat. Forests throughout Michigan, (Click to view trends from the BBS) particularly in the UP, would be ideal for Agriculture, deforestation, and fragmentation developing monitoring programs for creepers in have likely contributed to diminished order to assess the impact of active management populations of Brown Creepers in Michigan and unmanaged natural areas on a species about since European settlement, especially in the which we know so little. SLP. While there are no data on numbers of Brown Creepers in Michigan, the UP appears to Literature Citations be a stronghold for the species, and it is highly Askins, R.A., J.J. Philrick, and D.S. Sugeno. likely that numbers are greater than indicated 1987. Relationships between the regional due to the bird’s secretive behavior and abundance of forest and the composition of inaccessibility of some habitats. While forest bird communities. Biological confirmed evidence of breeding decreased in the Conservation 39: 129-152. NLP, the overall number of detections increased Barrows, W.B. 1912. Michigan Bird Life. East and several sightings occurred in townships Lansing, Michigan Agricultural College where there was no evidence of breeding in Special Bulletin. MBBA I. Similarly, breeding evidence in the Cook, A.J. 1893. Birds of Michigan, 2nd SLP occurred in several townships where edition. Bulletin 94. Michigan Agricultural creepers were not detected during MBBA I. Experimental Station. Lansing, MI. Davis, C.M. 1978. A nesting study of the BBS data indicate that Brown Creepers have Brown Creeper. Living Bird 17: 237-263. increased by more than 2% in the Midwest since Fowler, N.E. and R.W. Howe. 1987. Birds of 1983, and the number of birds detected per route remnant riparian forests in northeastern in Michigan has been consistently higher than Wisconsin. Western Birds 18: 77-83. the number of birds detected on BBS routes Hamas, M. 1991. Brown Creeper. In Brewer, elsewhere in the region (Sauer et al. 2008). R., G.A. McPeek, and R.J. Adams, Jr. (eds). Increased detection of breeding evidence in 1991. The Atlas of Breeding Birds of townships throughout the state during MBBA II Michigan. Michigan State University Press, suggests that populations in Michigan are East Lansing.
© 2011 Kalamazoo Nature Center Brown Creeper (Certhia Americana) Michael J. Hamas
Hejl, S.J., K.R. Newlon, M.E. Mcfadzen, J.S. Young, and C.K. Ghalambor. 2002. Brown Creeper (Certhia americana), In The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, ed.). Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Ornithology; Retrieved from the Birds of North America Online:
© 2011 Kalamazoo Nature Center