Indian Spotted Creeper
NameIndian Spotted Creeper
Common NameIndian Spotted Creeper
Scientific NameSalpornis spilonota
FamilySalpornithidae
Wingspan (cm)16.5
Length (cm)15
Weight (g)12
Plumage DetailsUpperparts are dark brown to blackish, densely covered with fine white or buff spots and streaks, creating a highly cryptic, bark-like pattern. Underparts are paler, often whitish with dark spotting. It features a prominent supercilium and a dark eye-stripe.
Vocalization / CallHigh-pitched, thin, sibilant calls, often described as a repeated 'tsee-tsee-tsee' or 'sri-sri-sri'.
Primary Dietinsectivore
Primary Habitatsforest
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Geographic RangeFound across the Indian subcontinent, including parts of India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh, typically in deciduous and evergreen forested regions.
Identifying Featureslong decurved bill, heavily spotted cryptic plumage, stiff tail feathers for support, upward spiraling movement on tree trunks
Description
A small, highly camouflaged forest bird known for its distinctive bark-creeping behavior. It uses its stiff tail feathers for support as it spirals up tree trunks, probing for insects with its long, decurved bill.
