Nuthatch facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Nuthatches
Eurasian nuthatch
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Sittidae Lesson, 1828
Genus:	Sitta Linnaeus, 1758
Type species
Sitta europaea Linnaeus, 1758

Nuthatches are a group of small, active birds. They belong to a genus called Sitta. You can find them living in the northern parts of the world, like North America, Europe, and Asia.

These birds are known for their unique way of climbing trees. Unlike woodpeckers, which usually climb upwards, nuthatches can climb both up and down tree trunks headfirst! They have special strong feet that help them do this.

What Do Nuthatches Look Like?

Nuthatches have a distinct look. They have large heads and short tails. Their bills and feet are very strong. This helps them climb trees and find food.

Most nuthatch species have grey or bluish feathers on their backs. They also have a black stripe that goes across their eyes. This stripe often makes them look like they are wearing a mask! Nuthatches use loud, simple songs to mark their territory. This means they let other birds know where their home is.

Where Do Nuthatches Live?

Nuthatches love to live in forests. You will often find them in pine or other coniferous forests. These are forests with trees that have needles instead of leaves. They often live in forests on higher land, like mountains.

What Do Nuthatches Eat?

In their forest homes, nuthatches find plenty of food. Their main diet includes insects, especially those found hiding in tree bark. They also enjoy eating nuts and seeds. They are very good at prying food out of small cracks.

Nests and Neighbors

Nuthatches make their nests inside holes in trees. Finding a good tree hole can be tough! They often have to compete with other animals for these spots. Squirrels and woodpeckers also look for tree holes for their homes. Sometimes, larger birds like owls and hawks might hunt nuthatches.

To protect their nests, nuthatches are quite clever. They make the entrance to their tree hole smaller. They do this by packing the edges with mud or sticky tree resin. This makes it harder for bigger animals to get inside.

Smart Food Storage

All nuthatches are very good at storing food. This is especially true for seeds. They hide seeds in many secret spots. They might tuck them into cracks in tree bark. They also hide them in the ground, under small stones, or behind loose pieces of bark.

Nuthatches have amazing memories! They can remember where they hid their food for up to 30 days. This helps them have food ready when it's harder to find, like in winter.

Images for kids

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  The red-breasted nuthatch is said to have a call like a tin trumpet.

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  Open ponderosa pine woodlands are a habitat for pygmy nuthatch.

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  The great spotted woodpecker is an important predator of Eurasian nuthatch nests.

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  Eurasian nuthatch prying something out from under the bark of a tree

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  White-breasted nuthatch, common in much of North America