Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis)

A Red-breasted Nuthatch

October 24, 2026

A Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) at the birdbath. I haven’t seen any this year, but they have been heard. I’m keeping an eye on the birdbath, hoping to see one very soon. This picture is from October 2016.

I can never tell from year to year if I’ll see one of these little birds because they participate in irruptive migrations, which means their migration is irregular and unpredictable, not happening on a fixed annual schedule. They depend more on their food supply than the usual triggers of migration. And they will often only migrate short distances.

_______________________

If you would like to receive my daily blog posts by email, sign up here!

Red-breasted Nuthatch Stopping By To Toast The New Year

December 31, 2025

A Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis). When they’re here, it is during the winter. But that’s not every year. When I see one I’m ever so grateful to see this tiny Nuthatch, which grows to a length of 4.3 inches. Much smaller than the White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) that I see year round, which is between 5.1 and 5.5 inches.

_______________________

If you would like to receive my daily blog posts by email, sign up here!

Quite The Petite Nuthatch

January 22, 2025

A tiny little critter, the Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis). I have to shake my head at the word “red” used as a label for this bird. Who thinks these names up? Don’t they know their colors? Wikipedia uses a perfect word for this Nuthatch’s belly – cinnamon. Another appropriate word to describe the color that I’ve seen, buff. But not red!

The Red-bellied Nuthatch doesn’t come through every winter. Every now and then, thanks to fluctuations in their winter food supply, they are forced to leave their normal wintering grounds sometimes ending up here. This is called an irruption.

Their call is quite entertaining. A yank-yank, sounding like the horn of a little toy tin car.

_______________________

If you would like to receive my daily blog posts by email, sign up here!