African Spotted Creeper
Salpornis spilonotus
Broad-leaved woodland. Slender, down-curved bill. Upperparts dark brown heavily spotted white; underparts white, finely scalloped brown.
Creepers
LC
Locally Rare
Description
Uncommon, localised resident. Identified by decurved bill, heavily spotted appearance and behaviour. Calls a series of rapid, sibilant notes ‘sweepy-swip-swip-swip-swip’ repeated five or six times. Works its way to the top of a tree before flying down to the base of the next, keeping out of sight behind the tree trunk or branch. Occurs singly or in monogamous pairs in broad-leaved woodland (especially miombo). Builds small, well camouflaged, cup-shaped nests.
Quick Facts
Size
15 cm - S
Names
A: Boomkruiper
Bird Family
Small passerines of the treecreeper family, *Certhiidae*. Monospecific in Africa and India; occurs throughout sub-Saharan Africa and into northern India. Small, heavily spotted and secretive, they are difficult to see. They creep up tree trunks searching for prey, using their long, slender, decurved bills to pry out invertebrates, including insects and spiders. They build small, cup-like nests that are well camouflaged.
Distribution
Gallery
Behaviour
Breeding
Habitat
Occurs singly or in monogamous pairs in 'broad-leaved woodland' (especially miombo).
