Nuthatches are small, agile birds often seen on tree trunks and branches. While they peck wood, their methods differ from woodpeckers. Nuthatches have a unique climbing style, notably descending trees head-first. This allows them to access different areas of a tree’s surface.
Peculiar Pecking Habits
Nuthatches forage by moving head-first down tree trunks. This inverted perspective allows them to examine bark crevices and fissures, uncovering insects and other food sources birds climbing upwards might miss. Their pecking is typically a delicate probing or flaking of the bark, not a forceful excavation. They use their strong, pointed bills to pry into bark surfaces, seeking hidden insects, larvae, and spiders.
Why Nuthatches Peck Wood
Nuthatches primarily peck wood for foraging, extracting insects and other invertebrates from beneath bark and within crevices. This behavior is important for their diet, especially during breeding season. They also peck wood to cache food like seeds and nuts, wedging them into bark crevices for later consumption. They may even hammer larger food items into these cracks to open them. While most species do not excavate new nest cavities like woodpeckers, some nuthatches, such as the Red-breasted Nuthatch, can chip out their own nests in softer or decaying wood or enlarge existing natural cavities.
Distinguishing Nuthatches from Woodpeckers
Distinguishing nuthatch pecking from woodpecker activity involves several characteristics. Nuthatches generally probe or flake bark for food, while woodpeckers often excavate deeper holes for foraging, sap, or nesting. Nuthatch pecking produces a softer tapping, distinct from the louder, rhythmic drumming of woodpeckers. A key behavioral difference is their tree interaction: nuthatches move head-first down trees, using their strong legs and feet for grip, while woodpeckers typically move upwards, bracing with their stiff tails.
Woodpeckers also drill for sap, create large nesting cavities, or drum for communication and territorial marking. In contrast, nuthatches primarily forage on the surface or modify existing small crevices. Their bills also differ; nuthatches have long, straight, pointed bills for probing, while woodpeckers possess thicker, chisel-like bills for forceful excavation.
Impact on Trees
Nuthatch pecking generally does not harm healthy trees. They typically target loose bark, dead wood, or areas with existing insects, rather than excavating into living tissue. Their pecking is not deep enough to compromise a tree’s health. Nuthatches benefit trees by controlling insect populations, consuming larvae and other invertebrates beneath the bark. While woodpeckers can cause more noticeable holes, their activity is often minimal and typically does not kill a healthy tree.