Editing Short-toed treecreeper (section)

{{Short description|Species of bird}}
{{Speciesbox
 | image = Short-toed treecreeper (Certhia brachydactyla megarhynchos).jpg
 | image_caption = ''Certhia brachydactyla megarhynchos'', Spain
 | status = LC
 | status_system = IUCN3.1
 | status_ref = <ref name="iucn status 12 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=BirdLife International |date=2016 |title=''Certhia brachydactyla'' |volume=2016 |page=e.T22711249A87839163 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22711249A87839163.en |access-date=12 November 2021}}</ref>
 | genus = Certhia
 | species = brachydactyla
 | authority = [[Christian Ludwig Brehm|Brehm]], 1820
 | range_map = CerthiaBrachydactylaIUCN.svg
 | range_map_caption =  Range of ''C. brachydactyla'' {{leftlegend|#008000|Resident|outline=gray}} 
}}
[[File:Cyprus treecreeper (Certhia brachydactyla dorotheae).jpg|thumb|''Certhia brachydactyla dorotheae'', Cyprus]]

The '''short-toed treecreeper''' ('''''Certhia brachydactyla''''') is a small [[passerine]] [[bird]] found in woodlands through much of the warmer regions of Europe and into north Africa. It has a generally more southerly distribution than the other European [[Certhia|treecreeper]] species, the [[common treecreeper]], with which it is easily confused where they both occur. The short-toed treecreeper tends to prefer deciduous trees and lower altitudes than its relative in these overlap areas. Although mainly sedentary, vagrants have occurred outside the breeding range.

The short-toed treecreeper is one of a group of four very similar [[Holarctic]] treecreepers, including the closely related North American [[brown creeper]]s,<ref name=Tietze/> and has five subspecies differing in appearance and song. Like other treecreepers, the short-toed is inconspicuously plumaged brown above and whitish below, and has a curved bill and stiff tail feathers. It is a resident in woodlands throughout its range, and nests in tree crevices or behind bark flakes, laying about six eggs. This common, unwary, but inconspicuous species feeds mainly on insects which are picked from the tree trunk as the treecreeper ascends with short hops.