Brown Creepers are smallish birds that are patterned brown all over with a cream/white colored belly. They have a dark brown eye-stripe and a white supercilium. Their body and wings are soft brown shades with a Striated pattern on the cap. Their bill is long and slightly curved and their legs are pinkish.

Carolina Wrens can be easily mistaken for a Creeper, but the extreme contrast of the belly and back, the rufous tone of the back, and the buffy belly color. Carolina wrens are very vocal and announce themselves frequently, unlike the mostly silent creepers. Carolina wrens can creep up trees like creepers however. Carolina Wrens can be found in brushy habitats and fragmented areas.

Black-and-white Warblers are similar to Creepers, but notice that they lack brown altogether, have a shorter black bill, and have black legs with yellowish feet. They also will stray out of mature forest in areas such as willow thickets. Both of them creep up trees.

White-Breasted Nuthatches are very similar to Brown Creepers, but notice that they have a slate gray back and lack brown. Their bill is not curved and their feet and legs are grey. They prefer the same habitats and share habits.