Wild Wednesday - Nuthatch | Latest news

Nuthatches (scientific name, Sitta europaea) are found across England and Wales, with the species becoming increasingly common in Scotland, as milder winters have resulted in it expanding north.

A distinctive looking bird with an orange breast, blue-grey wings, a long powerful slate coloured beak, with a black streak from the bill through the eye to the side of the neck and yellowish-brown legs. It has a characteristically large head and short tail. Larger than a robin, but smaller than a blackbird. Living on average, for around two to three years in the wild.

They prefer broadleaved woodland and favour areas with a large number of mature oak trees. Being tree climbers, look out for nuthatches scuttling up and down tree trunks, on descent they will be searching for food. They tend to perch upside down with their head at a right angle. You may see one in your garden, especially if you live near to this sort of habitat and have a bird feeder. Listen out for its ‘dwip dwip’ call.

Nuthatches normally nest in tree cavities, sometimes occupying old woodpecker holes. Breeding starts from late April with the female building a cup shaped nest made from dead leaves and bits of bark. Some will plaster the entrance to the nest in mud, making it smaller and less accessible to predators.

The female lays six to eight glossy white with reddish-brown spot speckled eggs. The chicks hatch in around two weeks and will be tended by both parents for 22 to 25 days, after this time they will leave the nest.

These birds eat insects, found in tree trunks and branches, also feeding on seeds and nuts during the winter, which they often hide inside holes in tree bark to eat later.

Read more here: Nuthatch | The Wildlife Trusts