90 



CERTHIID^ : CREEPERS. 



Family CERTHIID^ : Creepers. 



BROWN CREEPER. 



Certhia familiaris L. 



Chars. Upper parts, including sides of head and neck, dark brown, 

 changing to rich rusty brown on the rump, everywhere streaked 

 with whitish ; an obscure supracihary line of the same. Under 

 parts dull white, sometimes tinged with rusty on the flanks and 

 crissum. Wing-coverts and the larger feathers tipped with white, 

 and the inner secondaries with white shaft-lines, these light mark- 

 ings contrasting with the blackish of the outer webs ; wings also 

 crossed with two white or tawny-white bars, the broad anterior 

 one of which occupies both webs of the feathers, the other being 

 restricted to the outer webs near their ends. Tail grayish-brown, 

 more or less variegated with darker. Bill blackish above, mostly 

 flesh-colored below ; feet brown. Sexes alike. Length, 5.25- 

 5.75 ; extent, 7.50-8.00 ; wing about 2.50 ; tail very variable, 

 ranging from 2.50 to 2.90, usually about as long as the wing. 



The Brown Creeper is resident throughout New 



England, and a com- 

 mon bird in all suit- 

 able localities. Its 

 breeding range has 

 been supposed to be 

 restricted by Massa- 

 chusetts in its south- 



FiG. 21. — Head, Foot, AND Tail-keather OP Ward CXteUSioU, but 

 Brown Creeper. (Natural size.) ^^^^ j^ ^^^ ^y^^ ^^^^^ 



There is, however, a certain migratory movement, 

 which causes the bird to be more abundant in north- 



