- Tichodroma muraria
Identification
16·5–17 cm (6½-6¾ in) Unmistakable. The only small bird in Europe to show a combination of grey, black, red and white plumage, a long thin beak, and a habit for crawling over rock faces. Only males in summer plumage show the black throat, being greyish white in other plumages.
In flight, powers forward with deep irregular wingbeats and can appear much larger than it actually is. The shape of the wings and the wing colours makes a comparison of the flying bird to a butterfly obvious.
Distribution
From Europe to China, mostly at high altitudes; breeds at up to 5100 m altitude in the Himalaya. Resident or a short-distance altitudinal migrant. A very rare vagrant to Britain.
Taxonomy
Placed in its own family with no very close relatives; genetic analysis shows it linked to nuthatches (Sittidae).
Subspecies
There are two subspecies[1]:
- T. m. muraria:
- T. m. nepalensis:
- South-central Asia, from eastern Iran and Turkmenistan through the Tien Shan and Himalaya to northern China
Habitat
Nests at high altitudes on cliffs and rockfaces in Eurasian mountain ranges. In winter, many birds are forced by harsh conditions descend to a lower altitude when they can sometimes be encountered in upland villages and towns, using larger buildings (castles, cathedrals, and similar) or quarries as a substitute for natural cliffs.
Generally, breeding habitat will include a variety of exposures and terrain - overhangs, crevices and caves to facilitate bad weather feeding.
Behaviour
Shuffles over bare rock, regularly flicking out its wings, showing the crimson wings with their white spots. Likes ledges, overhangs, nooks and crannies - rarely bare rock; often close to waterfalls or wet rock. Seen regularly 'bouldering' along stream edges.
Not shy. Imitating the call can be productive.
Diet
Their diet consists of some larger insects, their eggs and larvae. Also spiders and other invertebrates.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2016. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2016, with updates to August 2016. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved April 2017)
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Wallcreeper. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 24 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Wallcreeper
