EXCITING BIRD ************** Many thanks, THOMAS, for a fine photo of this 'STRANGE' bird. Difficult to find in E. Africa: John WILLIAMS, 1963, stated 'very uncommon' in Kenya and Uganda. But Your familiarity with Ethiopia 'made' this photo? ___________________________________ Here some aspects of Spotted C.: 1. It is the only Salpornis species, and the ONLY Treecreeper in tropical Africa - but is also distributed in INDIA! (Orig. described from India, 1831). Hard to explain when and how this NON-migratory bird found its way to the trees in equatorial Africa (north to Ethiopia). 2. Its tail is NOT stiff, used as support on stems, but is feathered like e.g. Sitta's and Wallcreeper's. Long hind claw like Creeper. 3. Heavy body: Spotted C. is 1 cm longer than most Creepers, but has DOUBLE weight. 4. Can ,Sitta-like, sit vertically on a stem with tail up, head down and 'turned upwards out'! 5. Its nest is a normal OPEN cup(!), NOT hidden in a crevice or hole like other Creepers', Sittae and Wallcreeper's. 6. European Creepers and Sitta have whitish, dotted eggs, whereas Spotted's are dotted 'pale turquoise BLUE' (Praed and Grant, 1955). So, hardly surprising that (Fjeldså?) in 'Danske Navne...' 2008 states that Salpornis (Spotted C.) is 'closer related to Sittidae and should be moved' [from Treecreepers to Nuthatches/Wallcreeper]. __________________ DANSK Utroligt at standfuglen Plettet Træløber er udbredt i både Indien og Afrika. Som Spætmejse kan den sidde med hovedet nedad og har en hale som Spætmejse og Murløber (dvs. IKKE stive støttefjer som Spætte). Æggene er Blå og lægges i en ÅBEN rede - modsat andre Træløbere og Spætmejses! 'Danske Navne...' 2008 anfører, at Plettet T. bør flyttes fra Træløbere til Sittidae, dvs. Spætmejser/ Murløber. -------------- Plettet T. er svær at finde i Ø.Afr., så stor tak til THOMAS for at bringe et godt Æthiopien foto. cc: FJELDSÅ. KR / VH ............... C.