Wild Wednesday - look out for the Nuthatch
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.
They're tree climbers, so look out for nuthatches scuttling up and down tree trunks, searching for food. They tend to perch upside down with their head at a right angle. You may spot one 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.
The female lays six to eight glossy white with reddish-brown spot speckled eggs.
To encourage nuthatches to visit your garden:
- provide peanuts, sunflower seeds, and suet
- maintain or plant mature trees
- install nest boxes with small entrances, ideally modified with mud to mimic their natural nesting behaviour
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.