Scuttling tree climbers. Look for these woodland specialists hurrying up and down tree trunks in search of food.
Common names: nuthatch, European nuthatch
Scientific name: Sitta europaea
Family: Sittidae (nuthatches)
Habitat: broadleaved woodland, sometimes visits gardens
Diet: insects and invertebrates, seeds and nuts
Predators: sparrowhawks take adults; chicks and eggs vulnerable to a range of predators
Origin: native
The nuthatch is a distinctive bird with an orange breast, blue-grey wings and compact build. It has a long, powerful beak and a black streak running across its eye. It has a characteristically large head and short tail, and is larger than a robin, but smaller than a blackbird.
Credit: David Savory / Alamy Stock Photo
Much of the nuthatch’s summer diet is made up of invertebrates, which its plucks from tree trunks and branches. In winter, the species feeds on seeds and nuts. Surplus nuts are hidden in gaps on tree bark to be eaten later. The nuthatch’s habit of hacking at these nuts to retrieve them from their hiding place is thought to have earned the species its name.
Nuthatches rarely travel far from the area in which they were hatched.
Nuthatches normally nest in tree cavities, often occupying old woodpecker holes. Typically, six to eight eggs are laid, with the chicks hatching after around two weeks. Fledging normally occurs after around three to four weeks.
Credit: Calum Dickson / Alamy Stock Photo
Nuthatches favour broadleaved woodland with large, old trees that provide plenty of space for nesting and opportunities for foraging. Parks and gardens may also be occupied. Nuthatches can be found across England and Wales, but are absent from Ireland. The species is becoming increasingly common in Scotland, with milder winters allowing its range to expand north.
Nuthatches are often most common in areas with a large number of mature oak trees.
Look out for nuthatches scuttling up and down trees. They will often descend trunks head first when searching for food. Listen out for its ‘dwip dwip’ call. Nuthatches will often visit bird feeders in gardens that are close to suitable habitat.
Audio: Nick Talbot / xeno-canto.org
Credit: Paul Hobson / naturepl.com
The UK’s nuthatch population is doing well, growing by an estimated 250% since the 1970s. However, as a woodland specialist, the felling of woods and trees threatens to reduce the species’ habitat.
Nuthatches will sometimes plaster mud around the entrance of their nesting hole. This makes it smaller and less accessible to competitors and predators.
