Wisconsin · Year-round resident

Brown Creepers in Wisconsin

When brown creepers are present in Wisconsin, when they nest, which native Wisconsin plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 3b–6a yard.

Treecreepers (Certhiidae)Brown CreeperCerthia americana

Status in Wisconsin: Year-round resident
Nesting window: June
Broods: 1 per season
Hardiness zones: USDA 3b–6a

When to expect brown creepers in Wisconsin

Brown Creepers live in Wisconsin all year. Cold, snowy winters; boreal finches visit the north. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward overwintering insects; some suet.

Humid continental, with two Great Lakes shorelines, northern forest and southern prairie-oak savanna.

Nesting in Wisconsin

Across Wisconsin, brown creepers typically nest from June. Nest site: hammock nest behind loose bark on dead trees. Females lay 5–6 eggs, incubate for 13–17 days, and young leave the nest after 13–16 days.

Warm, humid summers.

Brown Creepers don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as serviceberry, white oak, bur oak for nest sites.
Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after June.

Native Wisconsin plants that attract brown creepers

Of the regional native plants we track for Wisconsin, these 8 provide food or cover brown creepers use:

Serviceberry

Amelanchier arborea · Tree

Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed.

White oak

Quercus alba · Tree

Acorns plus hundreds of caterpillar species for nestling food.

Bur oak

Quercus macrocarpa · Tree

Drought-hardy prairie oak with large acorns and a heavy insect load.

Black cherry

Prunus serotina · Tree

Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees.

American elderberry

Sambucus canadensis · Shrub

Late-summer berry clusters taken by over 40 bird species.

Spicebush

Lindera benzoin · Shrub

Lipid-rich red fruit fuels fall migrants.

New England aster

Symphyotrichum novae-angliae · Perennial

Late nectar for insects and fall seed for sparrows.

Tall goldenrod

Solidago altissima · Perennial

Insect-rich in fall and seed in winter.

Feeding brown creepers through the Wisconsin year

Creepers rarely use feeders but will take suet smeared on rough bark.

Best foods: Suet, Peanut butter mix spread on bark.
In Wisconsin's winter: Cold, snowy winters; boreal finches visit the north.

Full diet breakdown for brown creepers · Best feeder for brown creepers

Frequently asked

Are brown creepers in Wisconsin year-round?

Yes. Brown Creepers are year-round residents in Wisconsin.

When do brown creepers nest in Wisconsin?

Nesting in Wisconsin typically runs June, with 1 per season. Clutches are 5–6 eggs, incubated for 13–17 days.

What native plants attract brown creepers in Wisconsin?

Serviceberry, White oak, Bur oak, Black cherry, American elderberry, Spicebush, New England aster, Tall goldenrod are native plants in Wisconsin that provide food or cover for brown creepers.

Other backyard birds in Wisconsin

Northern Cardinal Eastern Bluebird Black-capped Chickadee Purple Martin Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker American Goldfinch Tufted Titmouse White-breasted Nuthatch House Wren Blue Jay House Finch Purple Finch Ruby-throated Hummingbird Mourning Dove American Robin Dark-eyed Junco White-throated Sparrow Song Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Red-bellied Woodpecker Northern Flicker Pileated Woodpecker Red-headed Woodpecker Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Red-breasted Nuthatch Common Grackle Red-winged Blackbird Baltimore Oriole Orchard Oriole Rose-breasted Grosbeak Evening Grosbeak Pine Siskin Common Redpoll Indigo Bunting Eastern Towhee Gray Catbird Brown Thrasher Cedar Waxwing Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Eastern Phoebe Chimney Swift Yellow-rumped Warbler Pine Warbler Eastern Screech-Owl Wood Thrush Great Crested Flycatcher Eastern Kingbird American Tree Sparrow House Sparrow European Starling Canada Jay Eurasian Collared-Dove

Sources

Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.