White-breasted Nuthatch

 

 

I saw this White-breasted Nuthatch climbing face down near a bird feeder, which apparently, are two of  its trademark moves. Climbing down, head first, is an ability common to nuthatches,^[1] and they like bird feeders.^[2] Sometimes these birds will take extra food from feeders so they can store it away for winter.^[3]

I liked the way the stripes interlaced on this bird's wings. One way to tell male and female White-breasted Nuthatches apart is by their heads. For males, the top of the head will be black, while for females, it will be gray.^[4] Pairs stick together all year long.^[3]

The Details:

Common Name: White-breasted Nuthatch
Scientific Name: Sitta carolinensis 

Order: Passeriformes

Family: Sittidae

Seen: Hanging onto the edge of a wooden pole near a bird feeder

Month: June

Learn More About the White-breasted Nuthatch:

1. Alderfer, J., & Dunn, J. L. (Eds.). (2021) Complete birds of North America (3rd ed.). National Geographic Partners.
2. Missouri Department of Conservation. (n.d.). White-Breasted Nuthatch.
3. Cornell Lab of Ornithology. (n.d.). White-Breasted Nuthatch: Overview. All About Birds.
4. Cornell Lab of Ornithology. (n.d.). White-Breasted Nuthatch: Identification. All About Birds.