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| | [[Image:Spotted_Creeper.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by safariranger <br />Photo taken: Kapishya Hot Springs, [[Zambia]]]] | | [[Image:Spotted_Creeper.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by safariranger <br />Photo taken: Kapishya Hot Springs, [[Zambia]]]] |
| | ==Identification== | | ==Identification== |
| - | Its plumage is strongly spotted and barred and it has a thin pointed down-curved bill, which it uses to extricate insects from bark; it lacks the stiff tail feathers which the true treecreepers use to support themselves on vertical trees. | + | Its plumage is strongly spotted and barred and it has a thin pointed down-curved bill, which it uses to extricate insects from bark; it lacks the stiff tail feathers which the true [[:Category:Certhia|treecreepers]] use to support themselves on vertical trees. |
| | | | |
| | ==Distribution== | | ==Distribution== |
| | Sub-Saharan [[Africa]] and northern [[India]]. | | Sub-Saharan [[Africa]] and northern [[India]]. |
| | ==Taxonomy== | | ==Taxonomy== |
| - | It is the only member of the subfamily Salpornithinae of the treecreeper family [[:Category:Certhiidae|Certhiidae]]. | + | ''Salpornis spilonotus'' is the only member of the subfamily Salpornithinae of the treecreeper family [[:Category:Certhiidae|Certhiidae]]. |
| | + | |
| | + | There are six subspecies:<sup>[[#References|1]]</sup> |
| | + | *''S. s. emini'' |
| | + | :*[[Gambia]] to north-eastern [[DRC]] and north-western [[Uganda]] |
| | + | *''S. s. erlangeri'' |
| | + | :*[[Ethiopia]] |
| | + | *''S. s. salvadori'' |
| | + | :*Extreme eastern [[Uganda]] to western [[Kenya]], [[Tanzania]], [[Zambia]] and [[Malawi]] |
| | + | *''S. s. xylodromus'' |
| | + | :*[[Zimbabwe]] and adjacent [[Mozambique]] |
| | + | *''S. s. spilonotus'' |
| | + | :*Central and western [[India]] |
| | + | *''S. s. rajputanae'' |
| | + | :*North-western [[India]] (this subspecies is not thought valid by all authorities, some include the birds within ''spilonotus'') |
| | + | |
| | + | Recent research is interpreted to indicate that this species is better split into two: African Spotted Creeper ''S. salvadori'' for all African birds and Indian Spotted Creeper ''S. spilonotus'' for the birds from India.<sup>[[#References|2]]</sup> |
| | + | |
| | ==Habitat== | | ==Habitat== |
| | Open deciduous forest and woodlands and mangrove swamps. | | Open deciduous forest and woodlands and mangrove swamps. |
| | ==Behaviour== | | ==Behaviour== |
| | + | Nests in tree crevices. |
| | | | |
| - | Nests are tree crevices. | + | The voice of the west African subspecies ''emini'' is described as being quite different from other African subspecies. |
| - | | + | ==References== |
| | + | # Clements JF. 2007. ''The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World''. 6th ed., with updates to October 2008. Cornell University Press. ISBN 9780801445019 |
| | + | #[http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?p=1920961 Birdforum thread] discussing the potential split of this species |
| | ==External Links== | | ==External Links== |
| | {{GSearch|Spotted+Creeper}} | | {{GSearch|Spotted+Creeper}} |
| - | | |
| | | | |
| | [[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Salpornis]] | | [[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Salpornis]] |
Revision as of 06:42, 10 September 2010
- Salpornis spilonotus
Photo by safariranger
Photo taken: Kapishya Hot Springs,
Zambia Identification
Its plumage is strongly spotted and barred and it has a thin pointed down-curved bill, which it uses to extricate insects from bark; it lacks the stiff tail feathers which the true treecreepers use to support themselves on vertical trees.
Distribution
Sub-Saharan Africa and northern India.
Taxonomy
Salpornis spilonotus is the only member of the subfamily Salpornithinae of the treecreeper family Certhiidae.
There are six subspecies:1
-
-
-
-
- Central and western India
- North-western India (this subspecies is not thought valid by all authorities, some include the birds within spilonotus)
Recent research is interpreted to indicate that this species is better split into two: African Spotted Creeper S. salvadori for all African birds and Indian Spotted Creeper S. spilonotus for the birds from India.2
Habitat
Open deciduous forest and woodlands and mangrove swamps.
Behaviour
Nests in tree crevices.
The voice of the west African subspecies emini is described as being quite different from other African subspecies.
References
- Clements JF. 2007. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to October 2008. Cornell University Press. ISBN 9780801445019
- Birdforum thread discussing the potential split of this species
External Links
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