Philippine Creepers: Rhabdornithidae

Philippine creepers are a small group of medium-sized, very similar looking, arboreal (living in trees) birds found only in the Republic of the Philippines. They are similar in physical appearances to treecreepers. The perching birds have long, slender bills and brush-tipped tongues. The bird group consists of three species, the greater rhabdornis, the stripe-breasted rhabdornis, and the stripe-headed rhabdornis.

As a group, Philippine creepers are very similar in size and color. However, there is little known about the specific details of the family's size and color. Philippine creepers are marked and shaded with black, brown, red-browns, gray, and white; colors that help them to blend into the forests in which they live. The birds have dark brown streaks on their upperparts, white on the under parts and flanks (with blackish streaks), and lighter streaks on the other parts of their body. They have a long, slender, pointed, down-curved bill and brush-like tongue. Philippine creepers are 6 to 7 inches (15 to 17 centimeters) long and weigh between 3 and 4 ounces (80 to 95 grams).