Short-toed treecreeper / Gartenbaumläufer (Certhia brachydactyla)

Baumläufer, wahrscheinlich Gartenbaumläufer. 2022-07-18 08:58:40 Greifensee

Observations

First documented observation: 2020-10-16 in Tremona. Most recent observation: 2026-05-23 in La Sauge.

Description

Classification: Genus Certhia (Certhia); Subfamily Certhiinae (Certhiinae); Family Certhiidae (Certhiidae)
General: The short-toed treecreeper (Certhia brachydactyla) is a small passerine bird found in woodlands through much of the warmer regions of Europe and into north Africa. It has a generally more southerly distribution than the other European treecreeper species, the common treecreeper, with which it is easily confused where they both occur. The short-toed treecreeper tends to prefer deciduous trees and lower altitudes than its relative in these overlap areas. Although mainly sedentary, vagrants have occurred outside the breeding range. [more]
Deutschland: Brut-, Jahresvogel

Seasonal behavior

Year-round bird
Breeding: 05-10 - 08-09
More details at Vogelwarte.ch

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=12 cm, wingspan=17-20 cm, weight=8-11 g
Habitats: Forest

Similar species

Looks similar to: Eurasian treecreeper.

Vocalisation

Song: It sounds to me like a 5-7 note song like 'five k low high higher', 'short song in the gar-DEN'. The individual notes have the same backward checkmark shape as the call. It's basically the same across Europe.
The song of the nominate subspecies is an evenly spaced sequence of notes teet-teet-teet-e-roi-tiit. [Link]
Its song is short, loud and rhythmic. [Link]
[In comparison with the visually similar Eurasian treecreeper, it] has a clearer, louder more staccato contact call of ‘sreet’ or ‘sree’ and a short ‘wit’ during normal activity [Link]
Song: Kurz u. bündig! (Gartenwege sind kurz.) Tonreihe am Schluss ansteigend. „Hesch du gseh woni bi? [Link]
Song diagnostic, and introductory notes often used singly when interacting. Full song starts with one or two staccato introductory notes, the first higher pitched than the second, followed by a rapid, ascending crescendo ending in a drawn-out, less pure "sree". The tone is loud and much more penetrating and clear than C. familiaris. [Link] Song attributes: Mnemnoic: 'Gar-ten-baum-LÄU-FER' Melody: stereotype melodic (mlLh), slow, Frequency: 4-7 KHz
XC625133 - Short-toed Treecreeper - Certhia brachydactyla - song. ♫ Source: XENOCANTO XC625133 - Short-toed Treecreeper - Certhia brachydactyla - song.mp3 (song)


Calls: scharf „tiit, sri“ [Link]
Contact call very similar to C. familiaris. A thin "sreee" often repeated in an even rhythm, perhaps with slighly shorter pauses. Flight call a short and sharp "wit" used freely when moving about. Timbre recalls wet rubber-boots on vinyl flooring. Note that "mixed singers" of C. familiaris are not uncommon in areas where both species of treecreepers occur. [Link] General: See the sonogram how the song may descend rapidly from 7Khz to and then climb from 5 to 5.75 KHz, a kind of reversed checkmark. However I find it hard to distinguish from a single note. I'm not a bird ;-(
Call: calls with a loud (Wikipedia says shrill) “tyt tyt” [Link]
A recording from Jorge Leitão in the Netherlands that I assume is the tyt tyt call.

A recording from Jorge Leitão in the Netherlands that I assume is the tyt tyt call. ♫ Source: XENOCANTO XC569503 - Short-toed Treecreeper - Certhia brachydactyla.mp3 (song?)


Call attributes: Call melody: one note, slow, Frequency: 5-7 KHz,