This May, we’re celebrating a charismatic little bird with a big personality – the Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis). These energetic songbirds are a delight to watch as they hop headfirst down tree trunks, emitting their distinctive, nasal “yank-yank” call. Red-breasted Nuthatches are year-round residents in many parts of the United States and Canada and are known for their agility, bold behavior, and curious nature.

Despite their small size, Red-breasted Nuthatches are mighty in character. Weighing just under half an ounce and measuring about 4.5 inches long, they are quick and agile foragers with an appetite for insects, seeds, and suet. Their handsome plumage – a blue-gray back, white face with a black eye stripe, and rich cinnamon-colored breast – makes them easily identifiable.

Scientific Name: Sitta canadensis

Family: Sittidae (nuthatches)

Length: 4.3 – 4.7 inches

Wingspan: 7.1 – 7.9 inches

Weight: 0.3 – 0.5 ounces

Lifespan: Typically 2–3 years in the wild, although some have been known to live up to 7 years

 

Red-breasted Nuthatches are primarily birds of the forest – particularly mature coniferous and mixed forests with a strong presence of spruce, fir, pine, and hemlock. In Colorado, they are found in higher elevation forests but will descend to lower elevations during irruption years or when food is scarce in higher elevations. During these years, they may appear in great numbers at backyard feeders across the state.

They nest and forage in tree trunks, often preferring old-growth or mature trees with a good supply of insects and nesting cavities. 

Insects and spiders make up the majority of their diet during the breeding season. They have a knack for finding caterpillars, beetle larvae, and ants within tree bark crevices. In the winter and during migration, seeds become an important food source. They particularly enjoy sunflower, peanuts, and suet. They are well known for caching food in the bark of trees to eat later – an adaptation that helps them survive lean months.

 

Red-breasted Nuthatches typically form monogamous pairs during the breeding season. Their courtship displays are subtle, involving mutual feeding and calling. Males may offer food to females as part of pair bonding.

Nest building begins in early spring. Uniquely, both males and females excavate their own nesting cavity – often in a dead tree or decaying wood. They will also smear sticky tree resin around the entrance of the hole, presumably to deter predators and competitors, they are careful to avoid the sticky resin when entering and exiting the nest. They can also be encouraged to nest in bird houses.

The female lays 5 to 8 eggs, which she incubates for about 12–13 days. During this time, the male brings food to her. Once the chicks hatch, both parents feed the young for another 18–21 days. After fledging, the juveniles stay near the nest for a few days, practicing their climbing and foraging skills under the watchful eyes of their parents.

Fledglings are quick learners and often become independent just a week or two after leaving the nest.

 

Tips for Attracting and Spotting Red-breasted Nuthatches:

Feeder Placement: Use tube or hopper feeders placed near coniferous trees if possible. Nuthatches are frequent visitors in both rural and suburban areas when food is available.

Preferred Foods: Offer sunflower chips, shelled peanuts, Bark Butter Bits, and suet. They’re especially fond of Bark Butter smeared on tree bark or feeder poles.

Habitat Enhancement: Maintain or plant native coniferous trees and leave dead trees standing if they pose no risk, as they provide nesting and foraging habitat. Provide a clean birdbath or small moving water feature.

Listen for their “yank-yank” call or watch for their distinctive foraging style as they move headfirst down tree trunks.