Callum Macgregor

The species has complex habitat preferences,

inhabiting forest and woodland with well-grown trees with numerous bark cracks and crevices suitable for foraging, roosting and nesting. There is a clear preference towards old-growth forests with decaying trees (Harrap 2020).

Its range extends across the Palearctic region from W Europe to Japan. It is widespread in Europe, occupying both temperate and boreal zone, the distribution being more fragmented to the S (Keller et al. 2020).

Primarily resident species, showing locally some short-distance movements.

Its population trend in Europe is stable. Evaluated as “Least Concern” (BirdLife International 2021).

Season of assessment

B

Population trendIncreasing
Population size
(min-max, best estimate)		10900000-19200000,14400000
Red List categoryLC
Franks, S., Fiedler, W., Arizaga, J., Jiguet, F., Nikolov, B., van der Jeugd, Ambrosini, R, Aizpurua, O., Bairlein, F., Clark, J., Fattorini, N, Hammond, M., Higgins, D, Levering, H., Skellorn, W., Spina, F, Thorup, K. Walker, J., Woodward, I. and Baillie, S.R. (1) (2022) Online Atlas of the movements of European bird populations. https://migrationatlas.org EURING/CMS (1) Principal investigator
Map

Overall Connectivity for Eurasian Treecreeper

Most European populations largely sedentary. The comparatively small sample size of distant recoveries (>=50 km) show only local and short-distance movements (less than 500km in most cases) – data mainly from N Europe. Dataset involves mostly within-country movements and movements across neighbouring countries. The movements are more prominent in “irruption” years.

Populations from NW, W, S & C Europe primarily resident. No connectivity between those on the British Isles and the continent has been found so far based on ringing. A bird from C Europe (Germany) has been encountered during winter in S Spain.

Birds from Fennoscandia (S parts mostly) are encountered SW, S & SE from the ringing sites, wintering around the Baltic Sea, W & C Europe (even S to Slovenia), as well as European Russia.

Recoveries by Condition for Eurasian Treecreeper

Most encounters are obtained after 2000. They are generally distributed evenly throughout the year, with two prominent peaks in Sep (13%) and Oct (20%). The bulk of encounters are recorded in NW, C & N Europe – ca. 98% combined (55, 22 and 21% respectively).

There are very few recoveries prior to 1960. After 1961 most of them (93-98%) are based on alive birds, due mostly to ringing activities.

The distribution of alive ringing recoveries primarily along the coasts of Baltic and North Seas (very few placed inland) – based on a sample of only distant (>= 50km) recoveries, probably reflects the network of active ringing stations and observatories.

Annual Movements for Eurasian Treecreeper

N European (Fennoscandian) breeders take S routes reaching Baltic Sea region as early as Sep, most encounters on the wintering grounds are from Oct (including Moscow region), very few – from Nov-Mar. Encounter of a wintering bird in Slovenia is known from mid-Nov.

Post-breeding dispersal is mostly evident Sep-Nov, starting in Aug in “irruption” years (Harrap 2020). Based on data from S Finland, juveniles migrate earlier than adults (Saurola et al. 2013).

Return migration take place in Mar-Apr, as late as early May in the northernmost populations.

Although C European population is largely resident, a bird marked in W Germany has been encountered wintering in S Spain in Dec.

Connectivity by Month by Region for Eurasian Treecreeper

Birds breeding in Fennoscandia are encountered on their wintering grounds (Baltic Sea region, rarely W, C & E Europe, exceptionally as S as SC Europe) from early autumn until early spring.

Dispersal movements after breeding season take place normally early to late autumn, but could start as early as late summer in invasion years. Sometimes, juveniles take N direction to disperse, reaching Russian Lapland and White Sea (Harrap 2020). Return migration is evident early- to mid-spring (late spring to the N part of species’ range).

Except for N Europe, most European populations are resident. Danish population is considered sedentary as well (Bønløkke et al. 2006).

Boris Nikolov

References

Statistics Map
N records N individuals N recoveries
Mapped data*
Total available data
*Mapped data include only distant (>= 50 km) recoveries
References Map
2020 . European Breeding Bird Atlas 2: Distribution, Abundance and Change. European Bird Census Council & Lynx Edicions, BarcelonaEditor(s): Keller, V., S. Herrando, P. Voříšek, et al.
BirdLife International 2021 . Species factsheet: Certhia familiaris. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 29/08/2021.
Bønløkke, J., Madsen, J. J., Thorup, K., Pedersen, K. T., Bjerrum, M., Rahbek, C.2006 . Dansk Traefugleatlas. Rhodos, Humblebæk
Harrap, S. 2020 . Eurasian Treecreeper (Certhia familiaris), version 1.0. In Birds of the World Link to Article (DOI: https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.eurtre1.01) Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA
Saurola, P. Valkama, J., Velmala, W. 2013 . The Finnish Bird Ringing Atlas Vol. I. Finnish Museum of Natural History and Ministry of Environment, Helsinki

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