340 BIRDS OF ALABAMA 



Dean recorded its arrival at Aimiston, October 9, 1916 ; Golsan 

 saw one at Barachias, November 18, and five at Autaugaville, 

 November 19, 1911. Brown, writing from Coosada, says of 

 this bird: 



Rather common during the 'winter, associating with other 

 small birds of similar habits. They were most numerous about 

 the third week in March, and at this time sometimes went in 

 flocks by themselves, occasionally as many as a dozen together. 

 On the advent of warm weather, in April, they gradually dis- 

 appeared.t 



At Orange Beach, January 31, 1912, I saw two creepers in 

 pine woods. Single individuals were seen at Mobile, February 

 6 ; Auburn, March 6 ; Dothan, March 13 ; Jackson Lake, March 

 27; Ardell, March 28; and Leighton, April 3. Holt saw 3 at 

 Jackson in February and 3 at Carlton in March. Dean noted 

 the last one at Anniston, April 9, 1916. 



General habits. — This little bird is a quiet, inconspicuous 

 creature, spending its time creeping in spirals up the trunks 

 and larger limbs of forest trees in search of its insect food. 

 When it reaches a point well up in the tree it flies down to the 

 base of another and begins the ascending spiral again. It is 

 not at all shy and pays little attention to anything but its main 

 business of locating a food supply. The notes of the creeper 

 are as inconspicuous as the bird itself — a series of high- 

 pitched, squeaky notes, which are difficult for many ears to 

 distinguish. 



Food habits. — ^Beal has studied the food of the California 

 creeper and finds that it consists of small beetles (including 

 weevils), wasps, ants, bugs, caterpillars, and a few spiders.J 

 Judd examined one stomach of the eastern bird and found in 

 it beetles, sawflies, flying ants, spiders, and seeds of the scrub 

 pine. The species is doubtless mainly beneficial in its food 

 habits. 



tBrown, N. C, Bui]. Nutt. Ornith. Club, vol. 3, p. 171, 1878. 

 tBeal, F. E. L., Biol. Surv. Ball. 30, p. 66, 1907. 



