Nuthatches are small, energetic songbirds with a unique, acrobatic style of climbing that makes them fascinating backyard visitors. These compact birds, recognized for their short tails and comparatively large feet, are often seen descending tree trunks headfirst, a behavior that sets them apart from other tree-climbing species. Attracting them requires providing a reliable source of high-energy food and a suitable environment.
Preferred Foods for Nuthatches
Nuthatches have a high-energy lifestyle, constantly foraging and caching food, which makes them highly receptive to high-fat and high-protein offerings at feeders. Black oil sunflower seeds are a major attractant, providing necessary calories and being easy for their strong, chisel-like bills to open.
Shelled peanuts are the most effective single food item for drawing nuthatches, as they are rich in fat and protein. Offering peanuts already shelled or as small pieces is preferred, allowing them to quickly carry the morsel away to cache it in bark crevices. Unsalted peanut butter, especially when mixed with cornmeal and smeared onto a tree trunk, mimics the insect-rich material they naturally forage for.
Suet is another attractive food source, particularly during colder months when high-fat content is needed for insulation. Nuthatches readily cling to suet cages to consume this rendered fat mixture, and peanut-flavored suet dough is popular. Providing dried or live mealworms can further supplement their diet, offering a protein source similar to the insects and spiders they seek out.
Feeder Types and Strategic Placement
Nuthatches exhibit a clinging behavior, which makes certain feeder designs more suitable for their feeding style than those used by perching birds. Suet cages, simple wire holders, allow the birds to easily cling and feed upside down. Mesh feeders designed for shelled peanuts are also highly effective, enabling nuthatches to pull out pieces while maintaining their characteristic grip.
Tube feeders containing seeds or peanut pieces are acceptable, but those with shorter perches or metal mesh sleeves accommodate the bird’s tendency to cling better. Strategic placement is critical: because nuthatches spend most of their time on tree trunks, feeders should be mounted directly onto a tree or placed very close to a mature branch.
This proximity to a natural climbing surface encourages the nuthatch to hop directly from the tree to the feeder, which is a less exposed approach. Mounting a feeder at a height of five to six feet is ideal. Providing nearby dense cover, like shrubs or evergreens, gives them a quick escape route from predators.
Providing Shelter and Water Sources
Establishing reliable shelter and water sources transforms a yard into a welcoming nuthatch habitat, encouraging year-round residency. Mature trees, especially those with rough bark like oaks or pines, are valued because the deep furrows provide natural foraging sites for insects. Dead trees, known as snags, should be retained if safely possible, as these are sources of nesting cavities and a rich environment for wood-boring insects.
Woodpiles and dense thickets of shrubs or coniferous trees offer protective cover, providing a safe retreat from predators and harsh weather. While nuthatches are cavity nesters, they rarely use standard birdhouses, preferring to excavate their own space or use natural holes. Specific small nesting boxes with thick walls and a small entrance hole (1 to 1.25 inches in diameter) may be used if natural cavities are scarce.
A consistent supply of fresh, clean water is important, especially during periods of extreme heat or cold. Nuthatches readily visit a shallow bird bath for drinking and bathing. In winter, a heated bird bath is recommended because it provides an open water source when natural sources are frozen over.
Identifying Common Nuthatch Species
Four main species of nuthatch are found across North America. While attraction methods are similar, knowing the local species helps tailor the habitat. The White-breasted Nuthatch is the largest and most widespread, often found in deciduous forests, recognized by its black cap and white face. The Red-breasted Nuthatch is smaller, associated with coniferous or mixed forests, and identifiable by its rusty breast and black eye stripe.
The Brown-headed Nuthatch is endemic to the pine forests of the southeastern United States and is known for its social behavior and distinctive brown cap. The Pygmy Nuthatch, found in the western Ponderosa pine forests, is the smallest and most social, often foraging in large flocks. All species share the unique head-down climbing behavior, but their calls differ.
The White-breasted Nuthatch has a nasal yank-yank-yank call, while the Red-breasted Nuthatch produces a reedy, higher-pitched sound. Attracting Red-breasted Nuthatches, for example, might be enhanced by planting more conifer trees, as they often rely on spruce and pine seeds.