WESTERN BIRDS Creeper 



GENUS CERTHIA: SIERRA CREEPER. 



Sierra Creeper: Certhia familiaris zelotes, 

 FAMILY— CREEPERS. 



While in the east the Brown Creeper is the only 

 member of the family, the west has several subspecies. 

 The commonest one in California is the Sierra Creeper 

 which ranges from the Cascade Mountains of Oregon 

 and the Sierra Nevadas of this State south to the San 

 Jacinto Mountain Range in southern California, spread- 

 ing into the adjacent valleys in winter, and being a 

 common resident of the coniferous forests from 4,000 to 

 9,000 elevation. 



This interesting little bird is about five and one-half 

 inches long, with upper parts dusky which become bright 

 rusty on rump; line over eye, streaks on shoulders, and 

 spot on wing white ; under parts white with sides washed 

 with brown; bill long and curved; tail feathers stiffened 

 and sharply pointed. 



From the Santa Cruz Mountains, north, a similar bird 

 is known as the California, or Tawny, Creeper. Its 

 upper parts are rusty brown, brightest on rump, and the 

 streaks on head and back are often tawny, Dawson 

 describes the note of this bird in Washington as Tew, 

 tewy, tewy, Ping, lisped from the tree-top. And again, 

 kee, kus, wit, it, tee, swee, like a garland of song caught 

 up at either end and made fast at the other. 



Dr. Joseph Grinnell in volume nine of The Condor 

 describes the nesting habits of this bird which he studied 

 in the San Bernardino Mountains of southern California. 



317 



