Red-Breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) lives in coniferous forests across North America. It feeds on insects and seeds. Its conservation status is Least Concern.
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The red-breasted nuthatch normally lives in conifer forests of Canada, Alaska and the northern United States, but when its winter food supply collapses it will move far beyond its usual range. It is usually a permanent resident, yet it regularly irrupts southward in large numbers when insects and seeds become scarce. These irruptions have been recorded as far south as the Gulf Coast and northern Mexico, showing how far the birds will travel in search of food.
Although the red-breasted nuthatch is a resident of northern conifer woods, it sometimes appears far from those boreal homes. Its irruptive migrations vary each year, with both the number of birds and their winter destinations changing from season to season. As a result, vagrants have been documented as far south as the Gulf Coast and the northern Mexican states, demonstrating the species' capacity for long-distance movement when conditions demand it.
Both sexes of red-breasted nuthatch excavate their own nest cavities in dead wood, choosing sites anywhere from 1.53 m to 37 m above the ground. Most nests are built around 4.6 m high, a height that provides shelter while remaining accessible for the pair. After excavation, the entrance is smeared with pitch, a behaviour thought to deter predators, and the cavity is lined with grass, moss, shredded bark and rootlets before the eggs are laid.
The red-breasted nuthage's call is a high-pitched, nasal note that birdwatchers compare to a tiny tin trumpet. The call is also described as "high-pitched, nasal and weak", and is transcribed as yenk or ink, reinforcing its thin, toy-like quality. Its distinctive sound is most often heard as the bird moves along conifer trunks, making it a reliable field identifier.
The red-breasted nuthage once maintained a resident population on Isla Guadalupe, an island off Mexico's western coast, but has not been recorded there since 1971. This loss is notable because the island previously supported a breeding population, and no subsequent sightings have been reported, confirming its extirpation from that location.
Sources
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In the frost-encrusted coniferous forests, a tiny, energetic form darts with reckless abandon, the Red-Breasted Nuthatch a whirlwind of motion as it spirals up, down, and around the towering trunks, its bright, inquisitive eyes flashing like rubies in the winter sun. With a nimble, upside-down agility, it navigates the intricate lattice of branches, its sharp, black bill probing the hidden crevices for the secret treasures of insects and seeds. As it moves, its rustling, nasal calls fill the crisp air, a lively, staccato commentary on the hidden world of the forest.
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