Birds of the Sierra: Red-breasted Nuthatch

Summer has officially drawn to a close, and autumn is upon us, despite the lingering heat.  Soon, some of my favorite winter migrants will be showing up in the San Joaquin Valley, like Cedar Waxwings and Sandhill Cranes.

The summer has flown by (no pun intended) in a whirlwind of activity, as I have found myself up to my ears in new projects, like demolishing our kitchen, building shelves for our library, and beginning a complete overhaul of our new quarter-acre property! 

But I did manage to squeeze in exactly two birding trips to the Sierra Nevada (which is not nearly enough).  One of my most memorable encounters was with a diminutive denizen of mixed conifer forests, the Red-breasted Nuthatch.  The photo below is not the best quality, but it will have to do since it's the only one that turned out at all!

Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis)

Predominately birds of coniferous forests, the Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) is found across much of the United States and Canada.  During the summer breeding season, they inhabit western forests, such as the mixed coniferous forests of the Sierra.  When the food supply on their breeding grounds is adequate, they tend to stay put through the winter.  However, northern populations and those living where the winter food supply is scant migrate south and/or "downslope," the term used to describe altitudinal migration whereby species move down in elevation for the winter.  (A number of birds that breed in the Sierra Nevada during favorable summer months, including Golden-crowned Kinglets, Yellow-rumped Warblers and White-crowned Sparrows, move downslope into the mild Central Valley for the winter.)

Red-breasted Nuthatches are often heard in the Sierra Nevada before they are seen, their odd and distinctly nasal "yank" call echoing through the trees.  (Have a listen here.)  When these small birds are spotted, it is almost always as they are moving very quickly up and down tree trunks and limbs in search of arthropod prey.  During winter months, they tend to switch from a diet of ants, beetles and spiders to one of conifer seeds, or other seeds provided at bird feeders. 

A peaceful scene along a Sierran stream before returning to work on the house!

A note on our new digs: I've already begun a survey of birds and other wildlife present on our property and in the neighborhood.  We have Western Screech-owls and foxes in the backyard, along with Western fence lizards (always welcome in the garden), butterflies and dragonflies, at least one Cooper's hawk, Nuttall's woodpeckers, a handful of Anna's hummingbirds, and a flock of Bushtits.  I'm looking forward to seeing how many new species the addition of a wildlife habitat garden of native plants will attract!

Comments

  1. Garry HayesSeptember 25, 2018 at 10:06 AM

    Nice! I've seen exactly one of these birds, one of the winter migrants down in the valley at MJC

    ReplyDelete
  2. Siera NystromSeptember 25, 2018 at 2:37 PM

    This was one of the first that's stayed in one place long enough for me to get a good look at it! They're beautiful little birds

    ReplyDelete
  3. Park Ecologist at Bethpage State ParkSeptember 27, 2018 at 4:46 AM

    I too have only seen the red-breasted nuthatch out and about one time. Great pictures though and nice update !

    ReplyDelete

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