Sitta carolinensis
white-breasted nuthatch

White-breasted nuthatches reside throughout most of North America, including the continental United States, southern regions of Canada, and central Mexico. (Pravosudov and Grubb, 1993)

White-breasted nuthatches live in deciduous woodlands and mixed deciduous and coniferous forests. They prefer, older, more mature hardwood forests and may require the presence of oak trees. White-breasted nuthatches are also common visitors to backyard birdfeeders. (Pravosudov and Grubb, 1993)

The long bills of white-breasted nuthatches distinguish them from other nuthatches. Their bills are nearly as long as their heads and are slightly upturned. White-breasted nuthatches have black crowns on their heads, with white cheeks and white undersides. Their undersides have a slightly rosy region towards the tail. A nuthatch's back is a bluish-gray. Their wings and tails are a mixture of white, black, and bluish-gray. Males tend to be slightly more vivdly colored than females, with the dark parts of their plumage being very dark and contrasting with their light plumage. Females tend to be somewhat more gray overall. Very little research has been done on these birds but it is known that they weigh on average 20 g and are about 15 cm long. (Pravosudov and Grubb, 1993)

The estimated average lifespan of a white-breasted nuthatch is 2 years. The oldest known white-breasted nuthatch lived almost 10 years. (Pravosudov and Grubb, 1993)

White-breasted nuthatches are excellent at climbing up and down the sides of trees, and are easily identified by their habit of creeping up and down tree trunks. They forage this way, searching out insects hidden in crevices along the trunks and limbs of trees. They also sometimes feed on the ground, hopping rather than walking.

Nuthatches do not migrate. They defend a territory year-round which varies in size depending on if it is in a wooded (smaller) or non-wooded (larger) area. The territory is dominated by the male, but both sexes live together within the territory. Nuthatch pairs may leave their territory in winter when food becomes scarce. They often head for bird feeders or join flocks with chickadees and titmice. White-breasted nuthatches are diurnal. (Pravosudov and Grubb, 1993)

Home Range

In this species, the home range is the same as the territory. Typical territories in wooded habitats are 0.10 to 0.15 square kilometers. Territories in semi-wooded areas are about 0.2 square kilometers. (Pravosudov and Grubb, 1993)

White-breasted nuthatches communicate using vocalizations and visual cues. They are generally quiet during the summer and their breeding season. They vocalize most during the very early spring and the winter. White-breasted nuthatches sing several different songs, each consisting of several notes. Most of their songs are used for territorial defense and assertion. There are 13 different calls known at this time: Hit and tuck, Tchup, Quank, Quank quank, rapid quank, rough quank, Chrr, Phee-oo, Squeal, Brr-a and Whine. Each call has a different purpose. White-breasted Nuthatches also have very good vision. (Pravosudov and Grubb, 1993)

Nuthatches get their name from their habit of placing large seeds and nuts in crevices of trees and then prying them open with their bills. Nuthatches also probe crevices along tree trunks and limbs for smaller seeds and insects. They store seeds in loose bark or crevices. The percentage of seed and insect food varies with the season. One study found the diet included 68% seed in winter, 48% seed in spring, no seed in summer (100% insects), and 29% seed in fall. The insect foods eaten by white-breasted nuthatches include such species as weevils, tent caterpillars, ants, scale insects, psyllids, wood borers, and leaf beetles. (Pravosudov and Grubb, 1993)

Predators of adults are most likely hawks and owls. Nestlings and eggs are eaten by woodpeckers, small squirrels, and climbing snakes, such as smooth green snakes. White-breasted nuthatches respond to predators near their nest by pecking and flicking their wings while making "hn-hn" noises. They also use a piece of fur or vegetation to wipe around their nest opening when they leave the nest. This covers up their scent and keeps squirrels and other predators from using smell to find their nests. (Pravosudov and Grubb, 1993)

White-breasted nuthatches help to control insect populations in the summer. They also disperse the seeds of many plants. (Pravosudov and Grubb, 1993)

We do not know of any way that white-breasted nuthatches negatively affect humans.

White-breasted nuthatches eat insects that some humans consider to be pests. (Pravosudov and Grubb, 1993)

White-breasted nuthatches are common throughout most of North America. There are an estimated 10,000,000 individuals throughout their range, and the overall population appears to be slowly increasing. This species is protected under the U.S. Migratory Bird Act.

The removal of dead trees from forests may cause some problems for this species because they require cavity sites for nesting. (Pravosudov and Grubb, 1993)

Although the white-breasted nuthatches are a common bird, there is little documentation of their life history and biology. This is because they prefer to breed in natural holes in large, dead trees, where it is difficult to examine them. (Pravosudov and Grubb, 1993)