Red-breasted Nuthatch
(Sitta canadensis) Y |
 |
RANGE: Breeds from south-coastal and southeastern Alaska,
southern Yukon, central Manitoba, and Newfoundland south to
southern California, central and southeastern Arizona, central
Colorado, Wyoming, southwestern North Dakota, southern Manitoba,
southern Michigan, and north-central Ohio; in the Appalachian
Mountains to eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina; and
south to southeastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey, and
southern New York. Winters throughout most of the breeding range
except at the higher latitudes and elevations, irregularly south
to Baja California, southern Arizona, southern Texas, and
central Florida.
STATUS: Common.
HABITAT: Prefers coniferous forests, but sometimes occurs in
mixed and deciduous woodlands.
SPECIAL HABITAT REQUIREMENTS: Cavities in trees with a minimum
dbh of 12 inches for nest sites, or soft dead wood for cavity
excavation. Strongest nesting habitat association in (1)
Mountain hemlock forest with true fir or Shasta red fir, (2)
Douglas-fir forest with western hemlock, western red-cedar, Port
Orford cedar, white fir, tanoak, madrone, or mixed conifers, (3)
Ponderosa pine forest with white oak or mixed conifers, (4)
Jeffery pine forest, (5) Conifer woodland on serpentine bedrock,
(6) Subalpine fir-lodgepole pine montane forest, and (7) Mixed
conifer-mixed deciduous forest.
NEST: Generally uses natural cavities or woodpecker holes for
nesting, but can excavate its own cavity in rotted stubs or dead
branches. Typically locates nest 15 feet above the ground, but
sometimes from 5 to 40 feet. Smears pitch below or around the
entrance hole, even when the nest is in a deciduous tree or nest
box.
FOOD: Pries open conifer cone scales and removes seeds for much
of its food. Also feeds on spiders and some insects.
REFERENCES: Adamus et al. 2001, Bent 1948, deKiriline 1952,
Forbush and May 1955, Miller 1999, Shunk 2004, Terres 1980,
Thomas et al. 1979. |
