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That Nest in BirdhousesBrown-headed Nuthatch
Sitta pusilla
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Sittidae
Genus: Sitta
Species: pusilla
La. passer sparrow, small bird
La. forma form, kind, species
Gr. sitte woodpecker like bird
mentioned by Aristotle
La. -idae appearance, resemblance
La. pusillus very small, tiny
Smallest of the eastern nuthatches, brown-headed nuthatches measure four inches or a little longer.
Brown crown, gray back and wings. White throat, cheeks, underparts, and small nape patch. Black, gray, and off white tail feathers
Brown-headed nuthatches inhabit mixed and coniferous forests from New Jersey and the southeast corner of Pennsylvania, south to Florida and west to eastern Texas and Oklahoma.
Brown-headed Nuthatches forage for beetles, spiders, caterpillars various other insects, their larva and eggs in tree bark and on pinecone seeds. After the brood rearing season is over they feed in flocks, sometimes with chickadees and woodpeckers.
They have straight bills with sharp tips for foraging in crevices and under bark, cracking nut shells apart and boring out nesting cavities.
Feed brown-headed nuthatches suet and suet mixes, peanut butter, sunflower seeds, various nuts, nut meats, bread crumbs and mealworms.
Attract nuthatches. Plant pine, red cedar, blue spruce, cypress, honeysuckle, live oak, holly and various other evergreen shrubs and trees for their seeds and insects that are also attracted to these foliage.
Females lay four to six, more or less, tiny speckled eggs that hatch after about two weeks incubation and young leave the nest in about another three weeks.
Brown-headed nuthatches build nests of grass, feathers, pine seed “wings” and other soft foliage in natural or abandoned cavities or in cavities they excavate themselves usually in pine trees or stumps from near the ground to extreme heights. They also sometimes nest in birdhouses of the right dimensions mounted in the right places.
The brown-headed nuthatch birdhouse (same as for pygmy nuthatch, chestnut-backed and Siberian chickadees) has a 4″ by 4″ floor, 9″ inside ceiling, 1 1/8″ diameter entrance hole located 7″ above the floor, ventilation openings and hinged roof.
Assemble with screws in predrilled countersunk pilot holes.
Mount this nest box in a wooded area, on a pine tree trunk or large limb from a few feet for easy inspection and maintenance if the box is well concealed, up to out of reach if necessary.
Place a few chips on the nest box floor.
Remove the nest from the box well after the brood rearing season is past.
Chickadees, titmice, and other nuthatches may use this box.
If you mount a winter bird warmer and occasionally lift the lid in cold weather, you may see several cuddling nuthatches and possibly with chickadees and titmice.
Brown-headed Nuthatch
Sitta pusilla
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Sittidae
Genus: Sitta
Species: pusilla
La. passer sparrow, small bird
La. forma form, kind, species
Gr. sitte woodpecker like bird
mentioned by Aristotle
La. -idae appearance, resemblance
La. pusillus very small, tiny
Smallest of the eastern nuthatches, brown-headed nuthatches measure four inches or a little longer.
Brown crown, gray back and wings. White throat, cheeks, underparts, and small nape patch. Black, gray, and off white tail feathers
Brown-headed nuthatches inhabit mixed and coniferous forests from New Jersey and the southeast corner of Pennsylvania, south to Florida and west to eastern Texas and Oklahoma.
Brown-headed Nuthatches forage for beetles, spiders, caterpillars various other insects, their larva and eggs in tree bark and on pinecone seeds. After the brood rearing season is over they feed in flocks, sometimes with chickadees and woodpeckers.
They have straight bills with sharp tips for foraging in crevices and under bark, cracking nut shells apart and boring out nesting cavities.
Feed brown-headed nuthatches suet and suet mixes, peanut butter, sunflower seeds, various nuts, nut meats, bread crumbs and mealworms.
Attract nuthatches. Plant pine, red cedar, blue spruce, cypress, honeysuckle, live oak, holly and various other evergreen shrubs and trees for their seeds and insects that are also attracted to these foliage.
Females lay four to six, more or less, tiny speckled eggs that hatch after about two weeks incubation and young leave the nest in about another three weeks.
Brown-headed nuthatches build nests of grass, feathers, pine seed “wings” and other soft foliage in natural or abandoned cavities or in cavities they excavate themselves usually in pine trees or stumps from near the ground to extreme heights. They also sometimes nest in birdhouses of the right dimensions mounted in the right places.
The Brown-headed nuthatch birdhouse (same as for pygmy nuthatch, chestnut-backed and Siberian chickadees) has a 4″ by 4″ floor, 9″ inside ceiling, 1 1/8″ diameter entrance hole located 7″ above the floor, ventilation openings and hinged roof.
Assemble with screws in predrilled countersunk pilot holes.
Mount this nest box in a wooded area, on a pine tree trunk or large limb from a few feet for easy inspection and maintenance if the box is well concealed, up to out of reach if necessary.
Place a few chips on the nest box floor.
Remove the nest from the box well after the brood rearing season is past.
Chickadees, titmice, and other nuthatches may use this box.
If you mount a Winter Warmer and occasionally lift the lid in cold weather, you may see several cuddling nuthatches and possibly with chickadees and titmice.
Brown-headed Nuthatch
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Sitta pusilla
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Sittidae
Genus: Sitta
Species: pusilla
La. passer sparrow, small bird
La. forma form, kind, species
La. -idae appearance, resemblance
Gr. sitte woodpecker like bird
mentioned by Aristotle
La. pusillus very small, tiny
Smallest of the eastern nuthatches, brown-headed nuthatches measure four inches or a little longer.
Brown crown, gray back and wings. White throat, cheeks, underparts, and small nape patch. Black, gray, and off white tail feathers
Brown-headed nuthatches inhabit mixed and coniferous forests from New Jersey and the southeast corner of Pennsylvania, south to Florida and west to eastern Texas and Oklahoma.
They forage for beetles, spiders, caterpillars various other insects, their larva and eggs in tree bark and on pinecone seeds. After the brood rearing season is over they feed in flocks, sometimes with chickadees and woodpeckers.
Brown-headed nuthatches have straight bills with sharp tips for foraging in crevices and under bark, cracking nut shells apart and boring out nesting cavities.
Feed brown-headed nuthatches suet and suet mixes, peanut butter, sunflower seeds, various nuts, nut meats, bread crumbs and mealworms.
Attract nuthatches. Plant pine, red cedar, blue spruce, cypress, honeysuckle, live oak, holly and various other evergreen shrubs and trees for their seeds and insects that are also attracted to these foliage.
Females lay four to six, more or less, tiny speckled eggs that hatch after about two weeks incubation and young leave the nest in about another three weeks.
Brown-headed Nuthatch Birdhouse
Brown-headed nuthatches build nests of grass, feathers, pine seed “wings” and other soft foliage in natural or abandoned cavities or in cavities they excavate themselves usually in pine trees or stumps from near the ground to extreme heights. They also sometimes nest in birdhouses of the right dimensions mounted in the right places.
The Brown-headed nuthatch birdhouse (same as for pygmy nuthatch, chestnut-backed and Siberian chickadees) has a 4″ by 4″ floor, 9″ inside ceiling, 1 1/8″ diameter entrance hole located 7″ above the floor, ventilation openings and hinged roof.
Brown-headed Nuthatch Birdhouse Plans
Assemble with screws in predrilled countersunk pilot holes.
Mount this nest box in a wooded area, on a pine tree trunk or large limb from a few feet for easy inspection and maintenance if the box is well concealed, up to out of reach if necessary. Place a few chips on the nest box floor.
Remove the nest from the box well after the brood rearing season is past.
Chickadees, titmice, and other nuthatches may use this box.
Winter Bird Warmer
If you mount a Winter Warmer and occasionally lift the lid in cold weather, you may see several cuddling nuthatches and possibly with chickadees and titmice.
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