1 December 2024

White-breasted nuthatches (Sitta carolinensis) are small but spunky. When they have a good spot at the feeder they defend it by puffing up.

Sometimes it’s just a mild warning like this tail-fanning to a house sparrow.

Sometimes it’s an open wing display like this one to a tufted titmouse.

And if it’s really important the nuthatch opens its wings and sways side to side in a mesmerizing display. The bluebird on the other side of this feeder stares for a while and decides not to stick around.

I’ve never seen this swaying threat display but I learned about it in BirdNote’s podcast: Nuthatches Sweeping the Nest after they described another unusual nuthatch behavior.

Did you know that white-breasted nuthatches use crushed bugs and other items to lay scent outside the entrance to their nests? Listen to BirdNote to find out more …

… and then watch a nuthatch sweep a bug around its nest hole.

Now that winter is really here, fill your feeders and wait to see a nuthatch tell the other birds, “I’m warning you!”