May 2, 2021 - Brown Creeper

I was sitting at my desk, looking out the window, when I saw this Brown Creeper on a tree in our yard. It’s a tiny bird, only 5¼ inches long, the same size as a Chickadee. Part of its name comes from the way it looks for food. It flies to the base of a tree, then quickly creeps up the trunk looking for insects. When it reaches the top of the tree, it flies down to the base of another tree and starts the process over again.

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When you can’t see its white belly, the Brown Creeper almost disappears against the bark of this White Pine tree. Brown Creepers are found either year-round, or at least in the winter, across southern Canada and virtually all of the lower 48 states. Because of their small size and great camouflage, most people are not even aware of them.

CreeperBrownDunningLakeItascaCounty20210423

The next day I saw two Brown Creepers and was able to get some closer photos. This side view provides a good look at the white throat and belly and the mottled brown plumage on the back and wings of the bird. Also, notice the thin, needle-like beak. It is slightly curved downward.

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This photo of a Brown Creeper on a Birch tree reminded me that these birds almost always build their nests between the peeling bark and the trunk of a dead or dying tree.

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This photo shows the tiny insects that a Brown Creeper finds in the furrows of the tree bark. Imagine how many insects of this size the bird would have to find each day to satisfy its hunger. No wonder they seem to always be on the move.

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Here’s another tiny insect found by the bird. Because Brown Creepers always go up a tree, they are able to find different insects than the Nuthatches, which always go down a tree.

CreeperBrownwithfoodDunningLakeItascaCounty20210424