THE BIRD BOOK 



CREEPERS. Family CERTHIID^ 



rjrnwn Cronpor 



726. Brown Creeper. Cerlhia famiUaris 

 nmericana. 



Range. — Eastern North America, breeding 

 from the northern tier of states northward; 

 winters in the United States. 



These peculiar, weak-voiced Creepers are 

 common in northern United States during the 

 winter, when they may be seen slowly toiling 

 up the tree trunks, searching the 

 crannies of the bark for larvae. 

 They make their nests behind 

 loose hanking bark on old tree 

 stubs, usually at low elevations, 

 building them' of twigs, bark, 

 moss, etc., held together with 

 cobwebs. The eggs, which are laid in May 

 or June, are pure white, specked and spotted 

 with reddish brown; they average in size .58 

 X .48. The nests are most often found under 

 the loosened bark on coniferous trees. 



White 



726a. Me.xican Creeper. Certliia ftimiliarjs albescens. 



Range. — Western Mexico north to southern Arizona. 



The nesting habits of tliig brighter colored form are the same as those of 

 the others. 



72(ib. Rocky jNIouiNt.mn Creeper. Certhiti frnniliaris montenw. 



Range. — Rocky Mountains, breeding from New Mexico to Alaska. 

 The eggs of this grayer variety cannot be distinguished from those of the 

 eastern birds and the nests are in similar situations. 



726c. California Cheeper. Cerfhia familiaris uceideiitalis. 



Range. — Pacific coast from soutbern California nortli to Alaska. 

 An abundant species, especially on mountatin ranges, breeding behind the 

 bark chiefly on pine trees. The eggs are not different from those of the others. 



726d. Sierra Creeper. Ccrihia familiaris zelotes. 



Range. — Sierra Nevada Mountains in California and the Cascade Range in 

 Oregon. 



Very similar to the last and with the same liabits; eggs indistinguishable. 



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