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70birds

That Nest in Birdhouses

70birds

That Nest in Birdhouses

70birds

That Nest in Birdhouses

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Order: Passeriformes
Family: Sittidae
Genus: Sitta
Species: canadensis

La. passer  sparrow, small bird
La. forma  form, kind, species
Gr. sitte  woodpecker like bird
mentioned by Aristotle
La. -idae appearance, resemblance
La. canadensis  for Canada

Four to five inches long. Black crown, brown wings and tail. White brow and thin white strip from above the base of the beak, above the eye, to the back of the head. White throat and cheeks. Gray back. Light rusty red or gold underside.

Painting of red-breasted nuthatches perched on tree limbs

Red-breasted nuthatches live in coniferous and mixed forests throughout the West Coast and Rocky Mountain States, most of Canada and southern Alaska, the Great Lakes region, and from Nova Scotia and New Brunswick to Appalachia.

A USGS range map for Red-breasted Nuthatches showing dense population along the West Coast, western Canada and along and above the Great Lakes and northern East Coast.

Varying numbers of red-breasted nuthatches may migrate moderate distances depending on each season’s pine cone crop, possibly as far as southern US or northern Mexico.

Red-breasted nuthatches run about, down, up, and underneath coniferous (pine and spruce) tree limbs foraging for insects and spiders inhabiting bark crevices. They eat pine seeds and are attracted to suet feeders.

They wedge nuts into the cracks of bark so that they may hammer them apart or for later retrieval. Nuthatches feed with chickadees and titmice at feeders.

Feed red-breasted nuthatches various nuts, sunflower and safflower seeds, suet and peanut butter. Sometimes they will eat from your hand.

They are territorial birds. They may be seen chasing other bird species away from nesting and foraging spaces.

Red-breasted nuthatches build grass nests in natural or abandon woodpecker cavities or birdhouses from a few feet to well out of reach.

A painting of red-breasted Nuthatches foraging on a tree limb

They smear sticky tree pitch (sap) around the outside of their cavity entrances.

Females lay four to six, more or less, creamy white speckled eggs which hatch after about two weeks incubation and young leave the nest in about another three weeks.

The Red-breasted Nuthatch Birdhouse (same as for the White-breasted Nuthatches, Chickadees, Titmice and Downy Woodpeckers) has a 4″ by 4″ floor, 9″ inside ceiling and a1 1/4″ diameter entrance hole located 7″ above the floor.

Cut or drill ventilation openings in the floor. Secure a hinged roof with shutter hooks. Assemble with corrosion resistant screws.

Mount nest box on a tree trunk between eye level and up to 15 feet if necessary. At least out of reach is best to deter the curious, unless the box is well concealed. 

Place a bed of chips, not sawdust, on the nest box floor.

Bark nailed or glued to the nest box exterior may be an extra attraction to nuthatches.

Birdhouses at heights should be installed by experienced trades workers.

A cedar birdhouse for white-breasted and red-breasted nuthatches, black-capped, Carolina, mountain and Boreal chickadees, tufted and oak titmice, and downy woodpeckers.

Red-breasted Nuthatch Birdhouse

View and print birdhouse plans for chickadees, nuthatches, titmice and downy woodpeckers.

Red-breasted Nuthatch Birdhouse Plans

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Order: Passeriformes
Family: Sittidae
Genus: Sitta
Species: canadensis

La. passer  sparrow, small bird
La. forma  form, kind, species
Gr. sitte  woodpecker like bird
mentioned by Aristotle
La. -idae appearance, resemblance
La. canadensis  for Canada

Four to five inches long. Black crown, brown wings and tail. White brow and thin white strip from above the base of the beak, above the eye, to the back of the head. White throat and cheeks. Gray back. Light rusty red or gold underside.

Painting of red-breasted nuthatches perched on tree limbs

Red-breasted nuthatches live in coniferous and mixed forests throughout the West Coast and Rocky Mountain States, most of Canada and southern Alaska, the Great Lakes region, and from Nova Scotia and New Brunswick to Appalachia.

A USGS range map for Red-breasted Nuthatches showing dense population along the West Coast, western Canada and along and above the Great Lakes and northern East Coast.

Varying numbers of red-breasted nuthatches may migrate moderate distances depending on each season’s pine cone crop, possibly as far as southern US or northern Mexico.

Red-breasted nuthatches run about, down, up, and underneath coniferous (pine and spruce) tree limbs foraging for insects and spiders inhabiting bark crevices. They eat pine seeds and are attracted to suet feeders.

They wedge nuts into the cracks of bark so that they may hammer them apart or for later retrieval.

Nuthatches feed with chickadees and titmice at feeders.

Feed red-breasted nuthatches various nuts, sunflower and safflower seeds, suet and peanut butter. Sometimes they will eat from your hand.

They are territorial birds. They may be seen chasing other bird species away from nesting and foraging spaces.

A painting of red-breasted Nuthatches foraging on a tree limb

Red-breasted nuthatches build grass nests in natural or abandon woodpecker cavities or birdhouses from a few feet to well out of reach.

They smear sticky tree pitch (sap) around the outside of their cavity entrances.

Females lay four to six, more or less, creamy white speckled eggs which hatch after about two weeks incubation and young leave the nest in about another three weeks.

The Red-breasted Nuthatch Birdhouse (same as for the White-breasted Nuthatches, Chickadees, Titmice and Downy Woodpeckers) has a 4″ by 4″ floor, 9″ inside ceiling and a1 1/4″ diameter entrance hole located 7″ above the floor.

Cut or drill ventilation openings in the floor. Secure a hinged roof with shutter hooks. Assemble with corrosion resistant screws.

Mount nest box on a tree trunk between eye level and up to 15 feet if necessary. At least out of reach is best to deter the curious, unless the box is well concealed.

Place a bed of chips, not sawdust, on the nest box floor.

Bark nailed or glued to the nest box exterior may be an extra attraction to nuthatches.

Birdhouses at heights should be installed by experienced trades workers.

A cedar birdhouse for white-breasted and red-breasted nuthatches, black-capped, Carolina, mountain and Boreal chickadees, tufted and oak titmice, and downy woodpeckers.

Red-breasted Nuthatch Birdhouse

View and print birdhouse plans for chickadees, nuthatches, titmice and downy woodpeckers.

Red-breasted Nuthatch Birdhouse Plans

Red-breasted Nuthatch

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Painting of red-breasted nuthatches perched on tree limbs

Order: Passeriformes
Family: Sittidae
Genus: Sitta
Species: canadensis

La. passer  sparrow, small bird
La. forma  form, kind, species
Gr. sitte  woodpecker like bird
mentioned by Aristotle
La. -idae appearance, resemblance
La. canadensis  for Canada

Four to five inches long. Black crown, white throat and cheeks, brown wings and tail. Gray back. Light rusty red or gold underside.

White brow and thin white strip from above the base of the beak, above the eye, to the back of the head.

Red-breasted nuthatches live in coniferous and mixed forests throughout the West Coast and Rocky Mountain States, most of Canada and southern Alaska, the Great Lakes region, and from Nova Scotia and New Brunswick to Appalachia.

A USGS range map for Red-breasted Nuthatches showing dense population along the West Coast, western Canada and along and above the Great Lakes and northern East Coast.

Varying numbers of red-breasted nuthatches may migrate moderate distances depending on each season’s pine cone crop, possibly as far as southern US or northern Mexico.

Painting of red-breasted Nuthatches foraging on a tree limb

Red-breasted nuthatches run about, down, up, and underneath coniferous (pine and spruce) tree limbs foraging for insects and spiders inhabiting bark crevices. They eat pine seeds and are attracted to suet feeders.

They wedge nuts into the cracks of bark so that they may hammer them apart or for later retrieval.

Feed red-breasted nuthatches various nuts, sunflower and safflower seeds, suet and peanut butter. Sometimes they will eat from your hand.

Nuthatches feed with chickadees and titmice at feeders.

They are territorial birds. They may be seen chasing other bird species away from nesting and foraging spaces.

Red-breasted nuthatches build grass nests in natural or abandon woodpecker cavities or birdhouses from a few feet to well out of reach.

They smear sticky tree pitch (sap) around the outside of their cavity entrances.

Females lay four to six, more or less, creamy white speckled eggs which hatch after about two weeks incubation and young leave the nest in about another three weeks.

A cedar birdhouse for white-breasted and red-breasted nuthatches, black-capped, Carolina, mountain and Boreal chickadees, tufted and oak titmice, and downy woodpeckers.

Red-breasted Nuthatch Nest Box

The Red-breasted Nuthatch Birdhouse (same as for the White-breasted Nuthatches, Chickadees, Titmice and Downy Woodpeckers) has a 4″ by 4″ floor, 9″ inside ceiling and a1 1/4″ diameter entrance hole located 7″ above the floor.

Cut or drill ventilation openings in the floor. Secure a hinged roof with shutter hooks. Assemble with corrosion resistant screws.

View and print birdhouse plans for chickadees, nuthatches, titmice and downy woodpeckers.

Red-breasted Nuthatch Nest Box Plans

Mount nest box on a tree trunk between eye level and up to 15 feet if necessary. At least out of reach is best to deter the curious, unless the box is well concealed.

Place a bed of chips, not sawdust, on the nest box floor.

Bark nailed or glued to the nest box exterior may be an extra attraction to nuthatches.

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