Pl. C
The Birds · Plate C
Brown-headed Nuthatch
Sitta pusilla
Sittidae · Taxon 14825
| Length | 11–12 cm (4.3–4.7 in) |
| Wingspan | 17–19 cm (6.7–7.5 in) |
| Weight | 8–11 g (0.3–0.4 oz) |
Field marks
- Warm brown cap extending to the dark eye above a pale cheek
- Blue-gray back and rounded wings with darker flight feathers
- Whitish throat and underparts, often washed pale buff
- Straight, pointed, blackish chisel-like bill
- Tiny, round-bodied profile with a short, square-tipped tail
- Dark gray legs with strong feet and curved claws for gripping bark
HabitatOpen, mature pine woodland with a sparse understory and standing dead or decaying trees for nesting; less frequent in mixed pine-hardwood forest.
BehaviorAgile bark forager that zigzags along trunks and branches, probing crevices and sometimes using bark chips as tools. Often travels in pairs or family groups, caches seeds, and nests or roosts in tree cavities.
Palette
warm chestnut brownslate blue-graysoft gray-whitecharcoal black