# Red-breasted Nuthatch (*Sitta canadensis*) The Red-breasted Nuthatch is a small bird with a bright orange belly and a cute, tiny beak. They love to climb trees and can often be seen hanging upside down while searching for food. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 17 - **Habitat:** Forests ![Red-breasted Nuthatch](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Sitta_canadensis_CT2.jpg&width=800) Photo: Cephas, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sitta_canadensis_CT2.jpg) ## Appearance The Red-breasted Nuthatch is a small bird with a blue-gray back and a distinct rusty-orange breast and belly. It has a bold black eye-stripe contrasting with a white stripe above it, and a relatively long, pointed bill. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Passeriformes - **Family:** Sittidae - **Genus:** Sitta ## Interesting facts - Their loud 'yank-yank' call sounds just like a tiny toy car horn honking! - These tiny birds can chip out their own nest holes in soft, dead wood! - They sometimes rub insects all over their feathers to get rid of tiny pests! - Unlike woodpeckers, they don't use their tails for support when climbing trees! ## Special abilities - **Gravity Defier:** Red-breasted Nuthatches can walk headfirst down tree trunks because of specially adapted feet that allow them to grip bark from any angle. - **Resin Sealer:** The Red-breasted Nuthatch can plaster sticky tree sap (pitch) around its nest entrance, protecting its eggs from predators like squirrels. - **Winter Pantry:** Red-breasted Nuthatches have an incredible memory for storing seeds in tree bark crevices, ensuring they have food during scarce winter months. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 10.5-11.5 cm - **Wingspan:** 19-21 cm - **Weight:** 0.008-0.013 kg - **Lifespan:** 2-7 years - **Speed:** 35 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 4-7 - **Incubation:** 12-13 days - **Migration Distance:** 1000 km ## Diet & Feeding They mainly eat insects and seeds, especially from conifers, like a tiny forest gardener! - **Primary Foods:** Conifer Seeds, Beetles, Spiders, Caterpillars, Acorns - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Sharp-shinned Hawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sharp-shinned-hawk) (*Accipiter striatus*) — Small hawks often prey on these nuthatches. - **Shelter:** [Eastern White Pine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-white-pine) (*Pinus strobus*) — Excavates nest cavities in dead snags of pine trees. - **Eats:** Black Spruce (*Picea mariana*) — Feeds heavily on seeds from black spruce cones. - **Eats:** [American Red Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-red-squirrel) (*Tamiasciurus hudsonicus*) — These squirrels will often raid nuthatch seed caches. ## 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. - [Arboreal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/arboreal): Arboreal animals live primarily in trees, utilizing them for shelter, food, and protection from predators. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [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 don’t try to touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Red-breasted 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 Red-breasted Nuthatch? 10.5-11.5 cm ### What is Red-breasted Nuthatch's wingspan? 19-21 cm ### How much does Red-breasted Nuthatch weigh? 0.008-0.013 kg ### How long does Red-breasted Nuthatch live? 2-7 years ### How fast can Red-breasted Nuthatch move? 35 km/h ### What does Red-breasted Nuthatch eat? They mainly eat insects and seeds, especially from conifers, like a tiny forest gardener! ### Where is Red-breasted Nuthatch usually found? Forests ## Where to spot - [Devil's Kitchen](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/devils-kitchen) — Michigan, US · Nature Reserve - [Great Northern Railway Buildings](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/great-northern-railway-buildings) — Montana, US · Historic Site - [Marymoor Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/marymoor-park) — Washington, US · Nature Reserve - [Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/wellfleet-bay-wildlife-sanctuary) — Massachusetts, US · Nature Reserve - [Cascades Raptor Center](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cascades-raptor-center) — Oregon, US · Zoo - [Fort Atkinson](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fort-atkinson) — Iowa, US · Forest [View all places to see Red-breasted Nuthatch](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/red-breasted-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: [Red-breasted Nuthatch: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-breasted-nuthatch)