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Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis)
uses birdhouses
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uses widlife trees
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FIELD MARKS
The male Red-breasted Nuthatch is bluish-grey on the top of its head and
back of its neck and has a whitish throat. Its face is white with a black
line through each of its eyes. Its back, rump, wings and central tail
feathers are bluish-grey and its underparts are a rusty-reddish colour.
Look for its characteristic short tail and long pointed bill. The female
looks similar, except she has a dark greyish-blue head and her underparts
are paler. This little bird often shows little fear of humans. Approximate
length: 10 cm
HABITAT
The Red-breasted Nuthatch prefers dense coniferous and mixed forests (especially
pine forests). It also prefers old-growth forest or older second-growth
forest; this may be because its nests are usually built in old, decaying
wood.
FOOD
The Red-breasted Nuthatch creeps down the truck and branches of trees
searching for insects and seeds. Nuthatches store food in crevices of
the bark for later use.
NESTING
Nest cavities are usually excavated out of the trunks of rotten snags
by both female and male nuthatches. They sometimes use old woodpecker
holes and birdhouses. The entrance to the nest hole is often smeared with
sticky pitch to keep unwanted visitors out. The birds fly straight into
their nest hole to avoid the pitch. The females line the nests with grass,
moss, bark fibres and feathers. The female lays 4-7 white eggs with reddish-brown
spots.
STATUS
Stable.
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