236 PASSERES : Perching Birds 



CERTHIID.E (Family Creepers): Small; obscurely marked 

 except white throat. Distinguished by their climbing habit, 

 similar to that of the Woodpeckers. Bill slender, curved, not 

 fitted for digging into wood. 



SIERRA CREEPER 



(726d. Certhia familiaris zelotes) 5 in. 



Silky white below; upper parts a mixture of dusky, gray, and 

 rusty. Bill long, curved. 



Climbs Woodpecker-fashion, supported by the stiff, pointed 

 tail-feathers, while it explores bark-crevices of large trees for 

 food. 



Call: A feeble, high-pitched "see-e-p" that might come from 

 any direction. 



MEXICAN CREEPER 



(726a. Certhia familiaris albescens) 5| in. 

 Back dark, nearly black; crown black, white-streaked; rump 

 rich rusty. 



ROCKY MOUNTAIN CREEPER 



(726b. Certhia familiaris montana) 5f in. 

 Like the Sierra, but conspicuously white-streaked above. 



FAMILY NUTHATCHES 



Small, short-tailed, gray-backed birds. Climb about in any 

 direction on tree-trunks, and hang in any attitude, by use of the 

 feet alone. 



RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH 



(728. Sitta canadensis) 4 in. 



Male: Black crown and eye-stripe; white superciliary, cheek 

 and chin, changing to rusty on breast and belly; back blue-gray. 



Female: Paler throughout; crown slightly darker than back. 



A tree-trunk gleaner, like the Slender-bill, but more often on 

 small saplings. 



