The
Red-breasted Nuthatch,
Sitta canadensis, is a small
songbirdA songbird is a bird belonging to the order of Passeriformes , in which the vocal organ is developed in such a way as to produce various sound notes, commonly known as bird song...
.
Adults have blue-grey upperparts with reddish underparts; they have a white face with a black stripe through the eyes, a white throat, a straight grey bill and a black crown. This bird is smaller than the
White-breasted NuthatchThe White-breasted Nuthatch is a small songbird of the nuthatch family which breeds in old-growth woodland across much of temperate North America. It is a stocky bird, with a large head, short tail, powerful bill and strong feet. The upperparts are pale blue-gray, and the face and underparts are...
.
Their breeding habitat is coniferous forests across
CanadaCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
,
AlaskaAlaska is the largest state of the United States of America by area; it is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
and the northeastern and western
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
south to
Baja CaliforniaBaja California is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North Territory of Baja California. It has an area of , or 3.57% of the land mass of Mexico and comprises the northern half of the Baja California peninsula, north...
(
MexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
).
Discussion
Ask a question about 'Red-breasted Nuthatch' Start a new discussion about 'Red-breasted Nuthatch' Answer questions from other users |
The
Red-breasted Nuthatch,
Sitta canadensis, is a small
songbirdA songbird is a bird belonging to the order of Passeriformes , in which the vocal organ is developed in such a way as to produce various sound notes, commonly known as bird song...
.
Adults have blue-grey upperparts with reddish underparts; they have a white face with a black stripe through the eyes, a white throat, a straight grey bill and a black crown. This bird is smaller than the
White-breasted NuthatchThe White-breasted Nuthatch is a small songbird of the nuthatch family which breeds in old-growth woodland across much of temperate North America. It is a stocky bird, with a large head, short tail, powerful bill and strong feet. The upperparts are pale blue-gray, and the face and underparts are...
.
Their breeding habitat is coniferous forests across
CanadaCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
,
AlaskaAlaska is the largest state of the United States of America by area; it is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
and the northeastern and western
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
south to
Baja CaliforniaBaja California is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North Territory of Baja California. It has an area of , or 3.57% of the land mass of Mexico and comprises the northern half of the Baja California peninsula, north...
(
MexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
). They excavate a nest in dead wood, often close to the ground. They smear the entrance to their nest with pitch.
These birds are often permanent residents, but they regularly
migrateBird migration is the regular seasonal journey undertaken by many species of birds. Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability, habitat or weather. These however are usually irregular or in only one direction and are termed variously as nomadism, invasions,...
into the southern United States if the food supply fails. This species is a very rare vagrant to western
EuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus Mountains , and the Black Sea to the southeast...
, and one bird successfully overwintered in
Great BritainGreat Britain is an island lying to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island. With a population of about 59.6 million people, it is the third most populated island on Earth. Great Britain is surrounded by over 1000 smaller...
.
They forage on the trunk and large branches of trees, often descending head first, sometimes catching insects in flight. They mainly eat insects and seeds, especially from conifers.
The call is like a tin trumpet. It is similar to that of the White-breasted Nuthatch, but higher in pitch.
External links