# Brown-headed Nuthatch (*Sitta pusilla*) The Brown-headed Nuthatch is a small, cheerful bird with a brown head and a sweet song. They love to climb trees and often hang upside down while searching for food. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 4 - **Habitat:** Forests ![Brown-headed Nuthatch](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Brown-headed_Nuthatch-27527-4c.jpg&width=800) Photo: derivative work: Snowmanradio ( talk ) Brown-headed_Nuthatch-27527.jpg : Ken Thomas, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Brown-headed_Nuthatch-27527-4c.jpg) ## Appearance The Brown-headed Nuthatch has a warm brown cap contrasting with its bluish-gray back and white belly. This small, compact bird has a short tail and appears much like a tiny acrobat in the trees, unique for its head-first climbing. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Passeriformes - **Family:** Sittidae - **Genus:** Sitta ## Interesting facts - Brown-headed Nuthatches sometimes share food with others in their group. - Their distinctive call sounds exactly like a rubber squeaky toy! - These birds often forage upside-down, defying gravity on tree trunks. - They plaster resin and bark flakes around their nest entrance! ## Special abilities - **Bark Tool User:** Brown-headed Nuthatches can use small pieces of bark as tools to pry open other bark for hidden insects. - **Cavity Architect:** Brown-headed Nuthatches can excavate their own nest cavities in dead snags, creating safe homes for their young. - **Winter Warmth Huddle:** Brown-headed Nuthatches can huddle together in tree cavities during cold nights to share body heat. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 9-11 cm - **Wingspan:** 16-18 cm - **Weight:** 0.008-0.012 kg - **Lifespan:** 2-9 years - **Speed:** 40 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 4-7 - **Incubation:** 12-14 days ## Diet & Feeding Tiny birds that love to eat seeds from pine trees and small insects hiding in the bark! - **Primary Foods:** Pine seeds, Beetles, Spiders, Caterpillars, Barklice - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Cooper's Hawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cooper-s-hawk) (*Accipiter cooperii*) — Cooper's Hawks might hunt small birds like nuthatches. - **Eaten by:** [Corn Snake](https://www.snappit.app/explore/corn-snake) (*Pantherophis guttatus*) — Snakes can raid nests or hunt foraging birds. - **Depends on:** [Loblolly Pine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/loblolly-pine) (*Pinus taeda*) — Relies on these pine trees for seeds, shelter, and nests. - **Hunts:** Southern Pine Beetle (*Dendroctonus frontalis*) — Eats these beetles, helping to control forest pests. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Singing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/singing): Singing animals produce complex vocalizations, often for purposes of attracting mates, defending territory, or communicating within their species. - [Arboreal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/arboreal): Arboreal animals live primarily in trees, utilizing them for shelter, food, and protection from predators. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Enjoy watching birds from a distance and be quiet so you don't scare them away. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Brown-headed Nuthatch? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Brown-headed Nuthatch? 9-11 cm ### What is Brown-headed Nuthatch's wingspan? 16-18 cm ### How much does Brown-headed Nuthatch weigh? 0.008-0.012 kg ### How long does Brown-headed Nuthatch live? 2-9 years ### How fast can Brown-headed Nuthatch move? 40 km/h ### What does Brown-headed Nuthatch eat? Tiny birds that love to eat seeds from pine trees and small insects hiding in the bark! ### Where is Brown-headed Nuthatch usually found? Forests ## Where to spot - [Chambers County Courthouse Square Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chambers-county-courthouse-square-historic-district) — Alabama, US · Historic District - [Academy Grove Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/academy-grove-historic-district) — Maryland, US · Historic District - [Gillsville Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/gillsville-historic-district) — Georgia, US · Historic District - [Goethe State Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/goethe-state-forest) — Florida, US · Forest - [Pickwick Landing State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/pickwick-landing-state-park) — Tennessee, US · State Park [View all places to see Brown-headed Nuthatch](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/brown-headed-nuthatch) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Brown-headed Nuthatch: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-headed-nuthatch)