The White-Breasted Nuthatch

                                                White Breasted Nuthatch at Feeder (Filmed by SCB)

One of my favorite birds (that fortunately remains in this area year round!) is the white-breasted nuthatch. These extremely interesting (and very smart) birds are a common visitor to bird feeders, especially feeders containing seeds and suet.  They are not only pretty, but fun to watch, being some of the most acrobatic of backyard birds.  Nuthatches can perform the most amazing feats with the greatest of ease, including running and jumping backwards, racing down trees headfirst and even hanging upside down from practically any surface.  The sounds they make are unique, as well...a very rapid and faintly nasal eh-eh-eh.  Males and females have an  identical appearance.  In the winter, nuthatches will often travel with chickadees, titmice and Downy woodpeckers.

If you would like to lure these very interesting little birds to your yard, here are some tips to help you do so:

Food
Nuthatches like sunflower seed, safflower seed, suet and even peanuts (which they will not hesitate to grab even when other, larger birds are around).  They are also especially fond of ants! Years ago, there was a colony of carpenter ants in my ash tree, and the nuthatches were constantly hanging out in it.  Eventually I hung a hummingbird feeder in front of it, which the carpenter ants simply loved, and would travel to it in hordes...until the nuthatches noticed.  Every night, there would be numerous ants milling around, and in the morning, there would not be a single ant left! If you would like to get rid of your ants once and for all, don't buy a pesticide...just attract nuthatches to your yard!

Habitat
Nuthatches like to hang out in any and all trees (probably at least partially because of the bugs!).  The more of them you have in your yard, the more likely you are to have nuthatches drop by.

Nuthatches are very friendly, and don't seem to mind any other birds (or dogs, or squirrels, or even people, for that matter!). Unlike many of the other little birds, nuthatches are not easily intimidated, and will even peck back at sparrows who peck at them.  They are often one of the first bird species to notice a new feeder, and thus may be one of the first birds to visit your yard if you hang out a new one!

Do you have a tip for attracting nuthatches? If so, please leave a comment!