|
White-breasted Nuthatch |
|
Sitta carolinensis |
| Description: 5-6" sparrow-sized, blue-gray above, white underparts and face, black crown, usually seen creeping on tree trunks often downward headfirst | Habitat: Deciduous and mixed forests, suburbs, farm woodlots, towns, oak and ponderosa pine in western portion of its range. Common and widespread. Usually seen moving down tree trunk head first. Relatively tame. |
| Nesting: 5-6 white eggs, speckled with red-brown, in a cup of twigs and grass lined with feathers and hair in a natural cavity, bird box or hole excavated by the pair | Range: resident from Canada south almost all US except Great Plains |
| Voice: call a nasal yank-yank, song a series of low whistled notes | Diet: insects, spiders, acorns and nuts in winter |
| Notes: very common and sedentary, pairs remain together year-round, In winter, roost singly in cavity; occasionally join mixed foraging flocks with Brown Creepers, Chickadees, Downy Woodpeckers. |
| When present in Oklahoma: present statewide in winter, and same in summer except panhandle |