Animalia Life

Tichodroma muraria
SUBFAMILY
Tichodrominae
TAXONOMY
Tichodroma muraria Linaeus, 1766.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
French: Tichodrome йchelette; German: Mauerlд; Spanish: Treparriscos.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
6.5 in (16.5 cm), with a short tail, and a long, black, downcurved bill. The back crown of the head is gray, the chin and tail are black, and the wings are white-spotted gray with red patches.
DISTRIBUTION
Occurs widely in Eurasia, from the Pyrenees, Alps, northern Apennines and Carinthian mountains, over the Balkans to Syria, the Himalayas and adjacent mountainous China.
HABITAT
Occurs in mountainous regions in the vicinity of cliffs and rocky gorges as high as the snow line. There must, however, be vegetation in the vicinity of the rocky places where they breed. Migrates to somewhat lower habitats in the winter.
BEHAVIOR
Wall creepers have a solitary lifestyle outside of the breeding season. They frequently flit their wings and have a light, butterfly-like flight pattern. They have an altitudinal migration. The song is a series of rising, high-pitched notes.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Forages for invertebrates in crevices of steep rockfaces and walls. Also eats small fruits and seeds.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Nests in a rocky crevice. Lays three or four white eggs.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Not threatened. A widespread species within its habitat, but not particularly abundant.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
None known.

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