Photo: william_stephens / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
African Spotted Creeper
Salpornis salvadori
African Spotted Creeper (Salpornis salvadori) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The African Spotted Creeper (Salpornis salvadori) is a member of the Salpornithidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 14.8 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Salpornithidae Spotted Creepers
- Genus Salpornis
- Species salvadori
Quick facts
- Weight
- 14.8 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Salpornithidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The African Spotted Creeper is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense woodland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The African Spotted Creeper is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The African Spotted Creeper (Salpornis salvadori) is a species of bird in the Salpornithidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Africa. Its distribution covers AF Senegal and Ethiopia s to Zimbabwe and Mozambique.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 14.8 g, with a wing length of about 9.1 cm and a tail of around 5.7 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 2.5 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the African Spotted Creeper?
The African Spotted Creeper is a very small bird that weighs around 14.8 g.
Where does the African Spotted Creeper live?
The African Spotted Creeper is found across Africa with a range covering AF Senegal and Ethiopia s to Zimbabwe and Mozambique, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the African Spotted Creeper belong to?
The African Spotted Creeper (Salpornis salvadori) belongs to the Salpornithidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the African Spotted Creeper eat?
The African Spotted Creeper is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the African Spotted Creeper migrate?
The African Spotted Creeper is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the African Spotted Creeper endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the African Spotted Creeper make?
1 real field recording of the African Spotted Creeper — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the African Spotted Creeper's range?
The African Spotted Creeper has a mapped global range of about 2.5 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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