The Indian spotted creeper is a small passerine bird that is a member of the family Salpornithidae, which was previously treated as a subfamily of Certhiidae. This small bird has a marbled black and white plumage that makes it difficult to spot as it forages on the trunks of dark, deeply fissured trees where it picks out insect prey using its curved bill. It is found in patchily distributed localities mainly in the dry scrub and open deciduous forests of northern and central peninsular India. It does not migrate. Their inclusion along with the treecreepers is not certain and some studies find them more closely related to the nuthatches while others suggest a close relation to the wallcreeper. They lack the stiff tail feathers of treecreepers and do not use their tail for supporting them while creeping vertically along tree trunks.
Region
South Asia
Typical Environment
Endemic to India, it is patchily distributed in the drier parts of the north and central peninsula, notably in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and parts of Uttar Pradesh. It inhabits open dry deciduous and thorn forests, ravines, and groves with mature trees that have deeply fissured bark. The species often occurs around rocky outcrops and semi-arid scrub with scattered large trees. It avoids dense, closed-canopy forests and plantations with smooth-barked species. Presence is strongly tied to older trees such as Anogeissus, Acacia, Butea, and Boswellia.
Altitude Range
0–1200 m
Climate Zone
Arid
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The Indian spotted creeper is a small, bark-gleaning passerine whose marbled black-and-white plumage makes it nearly invisible against fissured trunks. Unlike true treecreepers, it lacks stiff tail feathers and does not brace with the tail while climbing. Its taxonomic placement has been debated, with studies alternately aligning it closer to nuthatches or the wallcreeper. It is highly local and patchy, favoring mature, open woodlands with rough-barked trees.
Feeding behaviour of the spotted creeper
Temperament
solitary and inconspicuous
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with brief undulating hops between trees
Social Behavior
Usually seen singly or in pairs, creeping methodically along trunks and large branches while gleaning prey. It does not use the tail for support, relying instead on strong feet and claws. Breeding pairs are territorial; the nest is a well-camouflaged cup placed on a fork or against a trunk, and both parents tend the young.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Vocalizations are soft and high-pitched, including thin tsee and seep notes. It may give short, rapid trills during contact or breeding, but overall is a quiet species more often detected by behavior than by song.
