BROWN CREEPER IN INDIANA (This article originally published in the Indiana
Audubon Quarterly, February 2000)
Don Gorney, 6207 Carrington Drive,
Indianapolis, IN 46236
Brown Creeper (Certhia
americana) is a common to uncommon migrant and winter resident in Indiana,
but evidence during the past 20 years indicates it is also a regular, but still
uncommon to rare, summer nester. Of
Indiana’s approximately twelve records of Brown Creeper breeding, all but two
are from 1982 to the present. Whether
or not summer (defined as June and July) creepers are more numerous now than
before or whether the species has been, and continues to be, overlooked is open
to debate and further study. A leading
factor in the increase in summer sightings is likely due to more birders with
greater field experience. However, the
possibility of range expansion cannot be dismissed, but is not explored in
these pages. This article was written
primarily to summarize all Indiana
breeding records of Brown Creeper and was instigated by the wonderful
surprise of finding twelve adult and two fledgling Brown Creepers at Fort
Harrison State Park, Marion County, during the summer of 1999. A review of the bird’s status during other
parts of the year will also be presented to help put in perspective summer
records. Finally, a synopsis of the
creepers detected at Fort Harrison in summer 1999 is included and serves as a
beginning point for further study of this species in Indiana. It is hoped that this article encourages
others to search for Brown Creeper nesting evidence throughout Indiana so that
more can be learned about this species.
Difficulties in detecting Brown Creepers include their
diminutive size, their habit of remaining close to the tree trunk, both the
male’s and female’s high pitched call, the high pitched song given only by the
male, unfamiliarity with the song, and the well-concealed placement of the
nest. The call and song can be
difficult to hear when other woodland birds are calling and the pitch may be
out of the range of many people who have even a small amount of hearing
impairment. The call may also be confused
with the similar call of the cedar waxwing, which is a fairly common permanent
resident throughout Indiana. Creeper
nests may be missed because they are most often placed behind large slabs
(probably a foot or more in length) of loose bark between 5 and 25 feet from
the ground. In Indiana, such conditions
most often exist on the trunks of older, dead or dying deciduous trees such as
elm and maple. Observers in others states
have found that creepers often use the one piece of loose bark that barely
remains on a dead deciduous tree. Nests
are a foundation of small twigs, strips of bark, plant material, spider webs,
and insect cocoons lined with finer bark shreds and grasses. The sides of the nest rise above the rest of
the nest producing a “horned” or crescent moon appearance. Many times, only the twigs hanging from the
nest cup will be visible. Also, nests
appear unlikely to remain intact for very long after the one brood of young are
fledged as two of the four nests detected at Fort Harrison in 1999 had
completely deteriorated by mid-October 1999. A final reason why summering Brown
Creepers may be missed is that birders are less active in June and July,
particularly in the floodplain woodlands where creepers are most likely to be
found. But, thanks to the Summer Counts
that began in 1978 and grew into their present form around 1983, more Indiana birders
are active in the summer than before and this is the most likely reason Brown
Creeper sightings have increased in the past 20 years.
Historical data indicates that even in winter, Brown
Creepers would have to be considered as uncommon statewide but locally common
in certain areas such as Lafayette (Tippecanoe County). Brown Creeper is an early spring migrant,
largely leaving the state by the May Day Count date. The migration pattern of Brown Creeper can be roughly compared to
that of dark-eyed junco. Both species
migrate to Indiana beginning in mid- to late-September and then leave for the
breeding grounds in April making them difficult to find during the May Day
Counts. Table 1 provides Brown Creeper
totals for Christmas Counts, May Day Counts, Summer Counts, and Summer Field
Notes published in the Indiana Audubon Quarterly from 1978-1998. Summer Counts began in 1978, and this seemed
an appropriate year to begin the analysis.
It was about 1978, that saw an increase in creeper sightings in summer
and it was thought to be unproductive to review a paucity of records prior to
that time. Although the 1998 Summer
Count and Summer Field Notes had not yet been published, the compilers were
kind enough to share their data for this report. While Brown Creeper numbers are fairly low even in winter, by May
the number of remaining birds plummets.
It’s my guess that birds that are seen on the May Day Counts are
actually on territory although I readily concede some may still be
migrating. Indiana Christmas Counts
(1978-98) average 300 creepers per year with a range from a low of 102 in 1989
to an all-time high of 823 in 1995.
Although creepers are reported statewide, the Lafayette count, with its
rich riparian habitat along the Wabash River and its tributaries, has had the
highest number of creepers in all but two of the 21 Christmas counts
reviewed. Lafayette had the all-time
single count high of 313 Brown Creepers in 1995, in a year that apparently saw
an invasion of this species. By the May
Day Count, most creepers have already migrated to their breeding grounds so the
counts have averaged just 14 birds per year.
Totals for May Day Counts (1978-98) range from 3 Brown Creepers seen in
1985 to a high of 31 seen in 1992. The
first four Summer Counts from 1978 through 1981 resulted in no creepers being
seen. But since 1982, at least two
creepers have been seen each summer.
The average number of creepers seen in the 1978 to 1998 Summer Count
period is 3.3. If only the period from
1982 to 1998 is viewed, the average number increases to 4.1. Although not listed in the table, the 1999
Indiana Summer Count, due to the Marion County Count, resulted in an all-time
high of 18 Brown Creepers seen in June and July. While it loosely correlates to Summer Count information, Summer
Field Notes data is provided since some creepers are observed other than during
a count.
Most summer creeper records in Indiana are associated
with nearby standing or running water, often occurring in forested
floodplains. During the 1970’s, Davis
(1978) found that Michigan Brown Creeper nesting records in two study plots
were always associated with either standing water or running water that was
within 60 meters. Although the closest
water source for some Indiana records is well beyond 60 meters, the records do
indicate that creepers in Indiana also have a strong preference for nesting
near water. The reason for this is poorly
understood but an interesting observation made in 1999, indicates that eastern
cottonwood (Populus deltoides) trees,
a common floodplain denizen, may play an important role in nest building, at
least in Indiana. Three of four nests
found in Marion County in 1999, revealed that creepers made much use out of a
cotton-like material assumed to be the downy part of cottonwood seeds to fasten
the foundation of twigs and strips of bark together. The fourth nest deteriorated and blew away before it could be examined
closely, but from earlier observations it too appeared to contain cottonwood
seed down. Although at this time I
cannot be absolutely certain that the material is from eastern cottonwood
seeds, this would be the only cotton-like material available in abundance at
the time creepers build their nests at Fort Harrison. Further study in 2000 should quickly provide conclusive proof
that it is in fact eastern cottonwood fluff.
Davis does not mention the use of eastern cottonwood seeds in the nest
of Michigan creepers. In fact, all
references that could be located, which is relatively few, indicate that
creepers intertwine the foundation of twigs and strips of bark with items such
as spider webs and insect cocoons. It
is possible that creepers utilize the abundant cottonwood seeds in addition to
other bonding material here in Indiana.
Davis also found that at each nest site in her two study plots in
Michigan, the canopy was at least partially open. Of the twelve Indiana records presented in this article, all but
one are, or appear to be, associated with an open or partially open
canopy.
In Indiana, creepers have nested under the loose bark of bald cypress, black cherry, shagbark hickory, silver maple, and sugar maple. Five other nest records exist but the identification of the tree in each case is not positively known although one was a pine species, either red or eastern white, and another was probably a river birch. A few sources indicate that creepers will utilize woodpecker holes for nesting, but these instances appear rare, and this has not been observed in Indiana.
In The Birds of
Indiana, Mumford and Keller report that between 1948 through approximately
1983, Brown Creepers were observed in a total of eight counties during June or
July. Through the summer of 1999,
creepers have been observed in another 20 counties, bringing the total to 28
counties in which a Brown Creeper was observed during June or July in Indiana
since 1948. The counties are scattered
throughout the state, although most northern tier counties are represented with
many having multiple records. The
northern counties are Allen, Elkhart, Jasper, Kosciusko, LaPorte, Marshall,
Noble, Porter, Pulaski, St. Joseph, Starke, Steuben, and Wabash. Central Indiana counties with summer creeper
records are Adams, Carroll, Johnson, Marion, and Vigo. Southern Indiana counties are Brown, Clark,
Lawrence, Martin, Monroe, Orange, Posey, Spencer, Vanderburgh, and Warrick. A quick review of the counties illustrates
that creepers can be found throughout Indiana in summer and the most
significant factor, as to whether creepers are present, appears to be the
availability of floodplain woodland or other nearby water source. Curiously, Tippecanoe County, the area that
normally produces the most creepers during the annual Christmas Count, does not
have one summering creeper record during the past 50 years. Although more specific data is necessary,
there appears to be a strong correlation between creepers seen on May Day
Counts and summer observations. This
would tend to support the theory that most creepers found on a May Day Count
are on territory and are not migrating.
Further supporting this theory, to some extent, is Davis’ finding that
creepers in Michigan began building nests as early as 21 April and a handful of
the Indiana records demonstrating that nest building and egg-laying began by
mid-May.
Twelve records could be located where an observer
detected a nest or saw evidence of breeding activity. Seven of these records involve the detection of a nest. The 1999 Marion County record involves four Brown
Creeper nests – one active and three inactive - all found at Fort Harrison
State Park. So, in total, ten creeper
nests have been observed throughout Indiana. All convincing Indiana records of
creeper nests, mating behavior indicating breeding tendency, adults carrying
food and observations of three or more creepers together in summer are included
in this report. No records for
territorial Brown Creepers are included unless the observer also noticed some
evidence of breeding activity. Two
records of three creepers seen together are included because creepers are
fairly solitary birds and rare in summer in Indiana. The presence of three of them in extremely close proximity would
seem to only point to a family unit.
The most noticeable record missing from this listing is a supposed
confirmed nesting record listed for Clay County in the Atlas of Breeding Birds of Indiana. The Clay County record could not be confirmed with the observer
and is suspect. John Castrale of the
Indiana Department of Natural Resources indicates the observer listed no
carolina wrens for this particular atlas block although this wren should have
been present. For the atlas project,
the line item for Brown Creeper was followed by carolina wren, which could have
led to a transcribing error. Further
supporting a transcribing error is that no details of a Brown Creeper nest or
breeding activity were offered by the observer, although such was requested as
part of the project.
The limited information that is available for Indiana records indicates, or intimates, that courtship behavior begins as early as April and is followed by nest building during the month of May and possibly the first few days of June. Incubation begins as early as the first week of May but might not commence until early June. Fledglings could make their appearance anywhere from the first week of June through the first two weeks of July. All known Brown Creeper records demonstrating breeding or the likelihood of breeding are listed below. Table 2 also summarizes this information.
Date: 8
May 1882
Location: Near
Golden Lake, Steuben County
Observer: R.Wes.
McBride
Mr. McBride wrote in his notebook for this date: “Brown Creeper; taken near Golden Lake, Steuben County, Indiana. Nest in crevice, where the bark had started from a dead tree, about 4 feet from the ground, in a swampy tract in ‘Crane Town.’ Nest composed of sticks, bark and feathers. Six eggs, beauties. Incubation commenced. Embryos half developed.” In correspondence to Amos Butler, Mr. McBride continues: “The ‘Crane Town’ referred to in this matter is a heronry which we were exploring. The water was high, and we were in a boat. I placed my hand against a tree to push the boat past it, when the bird flew off the nest, which was within a few inches of my hand. The bird remained near me until after I had secured the eggs and examined the nest. The appearance and characteristics of the Brown Creeper are so marked that it could hardly be mistaken for any other bird. I could not possibly be mistaken in its identification. In addition to this, the location and construction of the nest and the eggs themselves are all typical and characteristic.”
Date: May
1883
Location: Fox
Lake, Steuben County
Observer: Charles
H. and Herbert W. McBride
R.Wes. McBride in correspondence with Amos Butler
writes: “Another nest and set of eggs
were taken in May, 1883, at Fox Lake, near Angola, by my sons, Charles H. and
Herbert W. The identification in this
case was as satisfactory and unmistakable as in the other. Since that time, while I have frequently
seen them during the breeding season both in Steuben and Dekalb counties, I
have found no other nests.”
Date: 2
and 3 June 1982
Location: Cypress
Slough/Goose Pond, Posey County
Observer: Jerry
Skinner, et al
In documenting the sighting, Skinner writes: “Five singing (males) censused this date (2 June) as part of American Birds Breeding Bird Census. One pair was thought seen carrying food. As of 3 June, however, this pair was still seen carrying fine grasses under the bark of a dead cypress (Taxodium distichum) tree. Many twigs could be seen sticking from under (the) edge of the bark. Cannot see into nest (without) tearing off the bark cover.” Although Skinner or one of his students took pictures of the nest, the whereabouts of the photos is unknown. As the location name implies, this area is a slough with much water present. In personal commentary, Jim Campbell indicates he viewed the active nest later than 3 June and the nest was approximately six feet above the water.
Date: 9
May 1987
Location: Tippecanoe
River State Park, Pulaski County
Observer: Brad
Jackson
Brown Creepers observed building a nest along Trail 8 of the park in an area that was higher in elevation than the nearby floodplain. Jackson’s photograph of the nest appeared in the May 1992 Quarterly. Jackson returned two weeks later but did not encounter any creeper activity. The nearest water, the Tippecanoe River, is approximately 350 yards away, a staggering distance compared to most other Indiana creeper nesting records. The nest was located in a pine tree, either an eastern white pine (Pinus strobus) or red pine (Pinus resinosa), approximately seven feet from the ground. (From observations in Marion County in 1999, it was found that while incubating, the female Brown Creeper would be sequestered on the nest for periods of 90 minutes or more between foraging trips. Also, males were often silent for long periods of time or elsewhere in the territory so it is not surprising that Jackson did not encounter creeper activity upon a brief second visit.)
Date: 11
June 1988
Observer: Thomas
and Lavetta Stankus
The Stankus’ observed an adult creeper with three downy young on a black cherry (Prunus serotina) tree with much loose bark and within 60 to 90 feet of Potato Creek. A nest was observed on this same tree as they noticed material hanging from and sticking out from under the loose bark. The nest was approximately 15 feet from the ground. The creepers were only observed this one date.
Date: 6
July 1989
Location: Salamonie
River State Forest, Wabash County
Observer: Barbara
McDowell, Jim Haw, Barbara Kaiser, and Sandy Schacht
McDowell and Haw documented what was probably a family unit with three individuals seen together. One of the birds was a male as the creeper song was heard. Haw indicates there was no obvious sign that one or more of the birds was a fledgling and no nest was seen. The birds were observed at the top of a ravine with the Salamonie River below. (Fledglings/juveniles appear very similar to adults so it is not surprising that a young bird would not stand out unless the bird still retained some downy feathering.)
Date: 4
June 1990
Location: Kankakee
Fish and Wildlife Area, LaPorte County
Observer: Dick
Plank
Two birds seen carrying food to a nest site. Both birds returned with food twice within a five-minute period to a crevice in the bark of a dead, decaying tree that angled out of the water alongside the bank of the Kankakee River. The nest was approximately ten feet above the water’s surface. Tree species containing the nest is not positively known but Plank believes it may have been a river birch (Betula nigra). No young seen or heard. Although there are multiple records for summering creepers from LaPorte and Starke counties along the Kankakee River, this is the only record in which nesting was verified.
Date: 12
and 13 July 1990
Location: Pokagon
State Park, Steuben County
Observer: Alfred
“Bud” Starling
Brown Creeper seen feeding young in pine plantings near the gatehouse. Starling believes the species is an annual or regular nester at the park and he and others have seen summering creepers in multiple years in this same area. Nearby water includes Lake Lonidaw approximately 100 yards away and an open wetland approximately 50 yards away. Unlike the other Indiana records, this sighting lacks documentation to the Indiana Bird Records Committee, the Indiana Audubon Quarterly, except for an indirect reference, or other accessible source. Summary documentation, however, is maintained at Pokagon State Park Nature Center.
Date: Summer
1992
Location: Along
Tippecanoe River, Marshall County
Observer: Matthew
Enos and Michael Hooker
For the third year in a row, creepers were observed
along the Tippecanoe River in Marshall County.
On this unspecified date in June or July 1992, three appeared on the
same tree. One or more of the birds was
believed to be a juvenile. As with
creeper sightings along the Kankakee River, multiple sightings have taken place
along the Tippecanoe River. But, with
the exception of this record and Jackson’s 1987 record, no other nesting
instances have been detected.
Date: Late
June 1992
Location: Fort
Harrison State Park, Marion County
Observer: Brad
Jackson
Three territorial males were detected with one observed carrying food. The bird seen carrying food was within a few feet of Duck Pond, a two-acre body of water partially surrounded by woods.
Date: 13
May 1997
Location: Fox
Island, Allen County
Observer: Jim
Haw
Haw observed a male carrying food and feeding another Brown Creeper assumed to be a female in apparent pair bonding. Haw reports the creepers were seen in and at the edge of a heavily wooded seasonal wetland with water present. He reports the canopy was mostly closed in this area. Haw has reported at least one summering creeper at Fox Island for eight of the past ten years (1990-1999).
Date: June
and July 1999
Location: Fort
Harrison State Park, Marion County
Observer: Don
Gorney
Incredibly, fourteen Brown Creepers were observed
during June and July 1999, at Fort Harrison State Park. The fourteen creepers consisted of twelve
adults and two fledglings comprising seven distinct territories. Although I believe more than seven
territories were maintained, and consequently more than twelve adults were
present, I lack sufficient evidence and err on the conservative side. In addition to the confirmed nesting, three
inactive creeper nests were located.
Brad Jackson had observed summering Brown Creepers at Fort Harrison in
most years between 1992 and 1998 and provided insight to where he had found
them previously. I do not believe that
Fort Harrison is any different from other forested floodplain areas of Indiana
in its attractiveness to Brown Creepers.
Rather, I believe the 43 hours spent during the 1999 Summer Count for
this property was the primary factor in detecting the large number of creepers and
the locating of the four nests.
The following information is broken down by territory. Territory numbers are arbitrary but do roughly follow a clockwise direction. Although I have listed some sightings for creepers by territory, by no means is the listing complete. The use of the word “call” in this report indicates the simple one note call of both male and female creepers. Either “song” or “singing” is used to refer to the male’s multi-note song. A breakdown of creepers by territory is shown below.
Verified Individuals
Territory 1 4 Confirmed breeding, two fledglings observed
2 2
3 1
4 2 Nest located, not active
5 1
6 2 Nest located, not active. Probably active in 1999, however
7 2 Nest located, not active
Territory 1: Fall Creek Park
This parcel was until recently owned by the City of Lawrence and was formerly known as Fall Creek Park. As part of a land swap, this property was deeded to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources in 1999, and made a part of Fort Harrison State Park. It is closed to the public. Brad Jackson had observed Brown Creepers on territory in this location in previous years.
Breeding was confirmed in this territory with at least two young that fledged. Photographs and videotape were obtained of the nest, the adults, and one of the fledglings. The creeper territory was an open wooded area that served as the park’s playground area. Trees in the area are mature but widely scattered with grass covering the ground. A small scotch pine planting is located nearby. The nearest water is a two-acre pond located approximately 350 feet from the nest tree. The Brown Creeper nest was located behind loose bark of a dead sugar maple (Acer saccharum). The entrance to the nest was 17 feet, 1 inch from the ground and the nest was located about 5 inches below the entrance hole. The nest was difficult to observe, as the bark was loose but still clung close to the trunk, but small twigs, strips of bark, a few small feathers and what is believed to be eastern cottonwood seeds could be seen tucked behind the loose bark. The actual cup of the nest where eggs would be placed was not visible. By October 1999, the nest had completely deteriorated and the bark had pulled further away from the trunk.
Sightings of creepers in this territory included the following:
4 June Courtship behavior observed in late morning. One adult would fly after the other with both birds landing on a tree and spiraling upwards very quickly. This frenetic spiral activity is at a rate faster than when a creeper is foraging for food. After a short burst of this activity at one tree, the pair moved to another tree to start anew. With this behavior observed, I made a quick search of the nearby trees for possible nest sites. Because the number of trees was relatively few, the nest site was quickly located behind the loose bark of a dead tree.
In the early afternoon an adult was seen going towards what I thought may have been a fledgling bird. The second bird appeared to be begging, as it fluttered its wings quickly and emitted begging calls. The begging bird was on a thin horizontal branch when I saw the first creeper (apparently an adult) land on this same branch and move towards the begging bird. I believe my presence cut this scene short as both birds quickly flew away. I did not see if the adult had food in its beak and I did not witness the first bird feeding the begging bird. Davis (1978) reports that such begging behavior is common for female creepers. In the days that follow, I realize that I had observed additional courtship behavior and that incubation was about to begin.
5 June No courtship behavior observed. Birds difficult to find; at least one bird called. I believe incubation began this date since the birds were not continuing with courtship behavior.
24 June Both adults seen entering and exiting nest. Birds were actively foraging and taking food to nest. One quick nest exchange observed where one adult came to nest entrance and entered when the other adult flew out.
2 July Both adults still foraging for food and taking to nest. Video obtained of an adult exiting the nest.
4 July I had calculated fledging to occur by today so I was disappointed to see an adult entering the nest with food. This was at approximately 1:00pm.
5 July Eureka! After several minutes of searching for a very noisy bird, a fledgling Brown Creeper was spotted at 2:45pm. Fledging had occurred during the previous 24 hours. Video and photographs of this fledgling were obtained. Only one fledgling observed. The bird flew clumsily and very noticeably hopped up an angled tree branch. (All Brown Creepers hop, rather than walk, up a tree while foraging. This hopping motion can sometimes be subtle when observing adult birds.) The tail of the bird was very short and almost non-existent. My wife, Renee, and I left the area after about 25 minutes to allow the adults to feed the bird.
6 July Two fledglings seen. Foliage made it difficult to ascertain whether more fledglings were present. Birds remained high in the tree tops in the 25 minutes I spent viewing them.
Territory was immediately north of a small bridge that crosses Indian Creek. The immediate area is heavily wooded with a rather thick understory but the canopy is partially open. This area is closed to the public due to the presence of a large great blue heron rookery. Although a brief search was made, no nest was located. Two birds called concurrently on 26 June in the same location in which Jackson had heard them during various years between 1992 and 1998. On 2 July a creeper called incessantly for several minutes. After hearing fledgling Brown Creeper in Territory 1 on 5 July, I believe this calling bird was also a fledgling begging for food but I have no proof.
Territory 3: New Lake
This territory is along 59th Street just east of the Fort Harrison golf course. Wooded hillside with six-acre lake at base and open canopy. Understory ranges from sparse to dense. Access to the area is restricted. A very limited search for a nest was unsuccessful. On 11 July a male was heard singing and calling several times. I viewed the creeper for more than 20 minutes as it foraged. Although only one bird was visible at one time, I believe a second bird may have been present.
Territory 4: 59th Street
Territory was along 59th Street, a few hundred yards past the gatehouse, on the eastern end of the old shooting range. The area includes wooded hillsides, small seasonal creekbed, and open area. Understory is mostly sparse and canopy is open. A limited search of the area yielded no confirmed nests. On 2 July, at least two birds were present appearing on both the north and south side of 59th Street. Two birds heard calling at same time in different directions on north side of road. One of these birds was a male since a song was heard. Possibly two males present, one in the normal territory (eastern edge of shooting range) and one at the western edge of the shooting range
Territory 5: Lawrence Creek Trail
Heavily wooded area with limited understory. Brad Jackson has detected summering Brown Creepers in this area in previous years. Canopy ranges from mostly closed to partially open. On 12 June a male was heard singing near the trailhead at 59th Street. Male also heard well south but parallel to the first male and was closer to Boy Scout Road. No evidence that this was not the same bird but if so, the territory size seems large compared to that found by Davis (1978) for creepers at two sites (20 nests) in Michigan. Davis found that territories ranged from 2.3 to 6.4 hectares (5.68 to 15.82 acres). On 21 November 1999, the remnants of a creeper nest was located under a large piece of bark of a living shagbark hickory (Carya ovata) located under a partially open canopy. The nest was approximately 14 feet from the ground. The nearest water is a seasonal creekbed within 200 feet. The location of the nest tends to support the assumption of two territories in this area.
Riparian habitat along Fall Creek containing mature, dead, and young trees with a mostly open canopy. This area frequently floods after heavy spring rains. Inactive nest located in early July that probably served as the current year nest. The nest was located in a dying silver maple (Acer saccharinum) approximately 22 feet from the ground. Side entrance to the nest provided an excellent view of the nest cup as well as the sticks and other material hanging from it. The cup was light brown and appeared to be comprised of fine wood materials and grasses. Hanging from the cup on the bark side of the tree were twigs and sticks that appeared to be held together by eastern cottonwood (Populus deltoides) seeds. The nest cup appeared to be only tenuously attached to the trunk, if it was at all. The ends of the nest were “horned” as described by Bent (1964) and Davis (1978). The horn near the trunk being in better shape then the horn on the bark side. The horns were nothing other than the fine twigs and/or grasses being built up about 3/4 of an inch above the remainder of the nest. This gave the nest a crescent moon appearance with the points facing upwards. The quality of the nest leads me to believe the nest was built this year. The nest was very much intact and the relatively large side entrance to the nest would seem to prevent this nest from surviving from 1998 or earlier. By October 1999, the nest had completely deteriorated with portions of it being found on the ground. The use of the cotton-like material was very evident and an intriguing clue. Cottonwood seeds begin to waft through the air during May and could provide a clue as to the onset of nest building in Indiana. The nest tree is located within 40 feet of Fall Creek. On 30 May courtship behavior was observed by myself and others during a bird hike. The behavior was same as that described under Territory 1 with one adult chasing the other. No begging courtship was observed. On 10 July I finally noticed the Brown Creeper nest in a tree I had checked previously. During the 30 May observation, the pair was seen performing their courtship behavior on this tree as well as other trees in the immediate area. On 18 July a male was heard singing several times and a creeper called almost repeatedly during a 10-minute period. Bird could not be located but this pattern matched the fledgling Brown Creeper’s begging calls observed in Territory 1.
Riparian habitat along Fall Creek. Understory ranges from sparse to dense and canopy is partially open. A search of the area located a nest from a previous year. The nest, approximately nine feet from the ground, was in poor condition as it appeared it was exposed when the loose bark from the dead tree peeled away. The portion of the nest that remained was comprised of bark strips and twigs that were held together by what is believed to be eastern cottonwood down. It appeared that the cotton-like fibers of the cottonwood seeds was one of the primary reasons why the nest had not completely fallen to the ground. The tree containing the nest is approximately 300 feet from Fall Creek. The tree species is unknown. Sightings in this territory included two birds, at least one of which was a male, on 22 June. There is a distinct possibility that there were two creeper territories that abutted one another at this location. On 12 June a male was heard singing in the bottomlands along the creek. Another male was singing at the top of hill where Fall Creek crosses Harrison Trace. The second bird was near the sandbag bunker. I believe there may have been a second creeper present at the sandbag bunker. Was there one bird present or three? To be conservative, only one bird was counted. However, I believe there were at least two male creepers present representing two territories. On 25 June I believe I heard two males calling simultaneously. Unfortunately they did not repeat.
Although
nesting records are scarce, Brown Creepers are a permanent resident in
Indiana. Creepers have been observed in
Indiana in June or July every summer since 1982. Ten instances of creeper nests along with five other records
indicating breeding activity exist. Two
nesting records are from the 1880’s while all other instances are from 1982
through 1999. As observed elsewhere,
creeper nests in Indiana are normally associated with standing or running water
and often occur in floodplain woods with at least a partially open canopy. While most nest sites are within 350 feet of
water, one nest was 350 yards away from the nearest water. Nest height has ranged from 4 to 22 feet
from the ground or water and the nests were located behind a large slab of
loose bark in each instance. The five
known tree species used as nest sites in Indiana are bald cypress, black
cherry, shagbark hickory, silver maple, and sugar maple. Tree identification is unknown for five nest
records, although for one of the records it was probably a river birch and for
another it was either red or eastern white pine. Eastern cottonwood seeds may play an important role in creeper
nest building in Indiana as evidenced by the nests observed in Marion County in
1999. Incubation commences between
early May and early June. Birds located
during a May Day Count should be monitored for nesting activity since it is
likely they are on territory. In 1999,
twelve adult Brown Creepers and two fledglings comprising at least seven
territories were observed at Fort Harrison State Park, Marion County. One active nest and three inactive nests
were detected at Fort Harrison making it the first multiple nest record from
one site, although the species is assumed to regularly nest at a few locations. Much further research of this species, both
in Indiana and in North America, is necessary.
Further study in Indiana should focus on territory size, habitat
preference, nest composition, migration habits of creepers that nest in the
state, and simply determining how prevalent the species is as a nester.
References
Cited
Bent,
A.C., 1964. Life Histories of North
American Nuthatches, Wrens, Thrashers and Their Allies, Dover Publications,
Inc., New York, 475pp.
Butler,
A. W. 1898. Birds of Indiana, 22nd Annual Report, Indiana
Department of Geology and Natural Resources, 515-1187.
Castrale,
J.S., E.M. Hopkins and C.E. Keller,
1998. Atlas of Breeding Birds of Indiana. Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Indianapolis, 388pp.
Davis,
C. M. 1978. A Nesting Study of the
Brown Creeper, The Living Bird,
17:237-63.
Indiana Audubon Quarterly, Indiana Audubon Society, New Castle, Ind., Volume
56, number 1 through Volume 77, number 2
Mumford, R.E. and C.E. Keller, 1984. The Birds of Indiana, Indiana University Press, Bloomington, Ind., 376pp.
POSTSCRIPT - JUNE 2004
Since the above article was written the author has located dozens of additional Brown Creeper nests. A total of 67 nests have been located for Indiana and there are now twelve total instances of adults seen with young. The majority of nest records found since the article was written come from Fort Harrison State Park, Indianapolis, which is the author's primary study area for the species. However, nests have also been found at several other locations.