Wallcreeper Tichodroma muraria

The Wallcreeper is the only living bird in its genus and family, but is related to treecreepers, nuthatches and wrens. Many thanks to Alexandra Makhnina for the photos of this most elusive but handsome little bird.

With wings closed it can look like a plain grey bird, but with a long, probing bill for its insect diet and elongated claws for rock climbing. It also has black and white stripes on its vent.

However, once it opens its wings it reveals black-bordered crimson wings with white ovals.

It is well-named, walking slowly up sheer rock faces and walls seeking out insects. It is rarely seen on terrain below 1000 metres above sea level and rarely above 5000 metres.

The Wallcreeper has two subspecies: the nominal European, native to mountains of southern and eastern Europe and the Caucasus through to the western Caspian; and the Asian, T. m. nepalensis, shown here and native to mountains of Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan through the Himalayas to eastern China.