Bouncing and scuttling up tree trunks, the red-breasted nuthatch might closely resemble the related white-breasted nuthatch, but the red-breasted is much smaller and contains its namesake red breast along with a bold black eyeline which the white-breasted lacks.
Red-breasted nuthatch. Photo by Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren
Along with their smaller size and more restricted range, red-breasted nuthatches are rather remarkable birds. They possess a keen fidelity to food sources, and are popular at feeders, often making regular visits. Upon acquiring food, these nuthatches will stash the food item (in winter mainly seeds) into a secure spot; perhaps wedged in the bark of a tree, where the bird smartly covers its food item with a lichen or leaf litter.
Another surprising innovation of the red-breasted nuthatch is its tendency to cover its nesting cavity with resin from pine trees. The resin, pasted on the exterior of the cavity, prevents other birds like house wrens, white-breasted nuthatches, and woodpeckers from using the cavity. And even more remarkably, the red-breasted nuthatch has been documented using sticks and branches to paint this resin onto their cavity—use of a tool!
Red-breasted nuthatches have a more restricted range compared to white-breasted nuthatches, preferring coniferous areas mostly in northern Wisconsin. However, the second Wisconsin Breeding Bird Atlas found close to 40 confirmed records in southern Wisconsin south of the Wisconsin Dells. These nuthatches will nest in deciduous trees, but often inhabit conifer plantations in southern Wisconsin.
Red-breasted nuthatch at the nest hole. Photo by Patty McGann FCC
While the red-breasted is smaller than the white-breasted, the red-breasted perhaps has more of a steadfast work ethic, for the bird constructs its own nesting cavity by pecking a 2-3 inch cavity in the bark of trees. White-breasted nuthatches usually occupy existing cavities, but, in fairness, sometimes do further remodeling and excavating of these existing cavities.
Finding a red-breasted nuthatch at Faville Grove might be more challenging in summer, but right now over winter they are more easily seen around conifer plantations. They’re a fun species to watch amble along the base of red pines, and you can almost imagine these red-breasted nuthatches with stick paintbrushes in their beaks in a few months, decorating their front door with red pine resin.
Written by Drew Harry, Faville Grove Sanctuary land steward
