Educate Yourself About the Red-breasted Nuthatch and Other Nuthatches
Red-breasted Nuthatch
The Red-breasted Nuthatch has a broad black line through the eye, and white line above it, rusty underparts, bluish back, smaller and stubbier than the White-breasted Nuthatch, and a stubby square tail.Its length is 4in (10cm) Its wingspan is 8in (20cm) Its voice is a call higher and more nasal than that of the White-breasted Nuthatch; “ank or enk”.
Their eggs are white with heavily or sparingly purple and brown dots, with 1 clutch consisting of 5-6 or (4-7) eggs. The female incubated for about 12 days, and the fledging time is around 14-21 days. Both male and female feed their young. Males and females look alike.
The Red-breasted Nuthatch has a funny way of traveling headfirst down a tree, but this way allows them to search for insects, and insects eggs that other “tree climbing” birds going head-up, might have missed. The name nuthatch comes from Middle English word, “nut-hacker”, because of the way they collect, and fly away with a nut or a seed. Then by wedging it into a crevice of tree bark, whacking it with its beak, or by using a pine scale as a tool, until the shells splits open.
The Red-breasted Nuthatch can be found in Northern coniferous forests witch seeds they mostly feed on. They will breed in the far North and West, but some years their migration can spread southward, because of food being scares during the winter months. Sometimes they will stay in one place all year around to nest, especially in Norway spruce and pine plantations. There are only a few species of nuthatches in North America, out of the at least two dozen species world wide.
The Red-breasted Nuthatch will usually make their own nesting cavity, by chipping of soft wood from a tree stub or branch, and will also use old woodpecker holes and nest boxes, provided in your lovely bird feeding garden. They also have a peculiar way of smearing sticky pine pitch around the entrance hole of their nest cavity, and renewing the pitch every day. Nobody really knows why, but a reason might be, to make it harder for predators to get in, stealing their eggs, or young ones. Inside their nest cavity, they will add a layer of bark chips, and line it with feathers, rabbit fur, and moss, to make it extra cozy.
The Red-breasted Nuthatch can easily be recognized by its black line through the eye, and reddish underside. The Brown-headed Nuthatch (Sitta pusilla) is a close relative, of the South and Atlantic coast area, witch also have a black strip through the eye, but has a brown cap on its head instead. There is also the Pygme Nuthatch witch has a grey head, and can be found in the Western Mountains.
At your bird feeders, they often chase away larger birds, when suet, sunflower seeds, and nutmeats are available in your lovely bird feeding garden. Its typical way is to grab a seed or nut, fly away with it, crack it open, and either consumes the meat or cache (save) it, by hiding it in a rough-barked tree, close to the bird feeding station.
The Nuthatch is actually a very friendly bird that can easily be tamed, by holding a few black walnuts (which they really love) in your hand. Make sure you stand very still, and do not have any eye contact with them; they might snatch their favorite nut from your hand after a few minutes.
If you like to attract the Red-breasted Nuthatch and other nuthatches, fill your hanging bird feeders and bird tables in your lovely bird feeding garden, with hulled peanuts, sunflower seeds, suet, and peanut butter mixes. Look up our section on RECEPIES, for more information. Also put up nest boxes in plantations and coniferous forests. You can also drill small starter holes, with a 1 1/8 in (30mm) drill bit, in dead forest trees, if you like.
