Home How to shop Basket Login

back to: Bird Fact Files

Nuthatch

Nuthatch - Sitta europaea

Latin name: Sitta Europaea

Numbers in Britain: 13,000 pairs

Conservation status: Green*

Length: 15cm

Wingspan: 20 - 25cm

Weight: 20 - 24g

Habitat: Wooded areas, parklands and gardens

Eggs: 4 - 13 smooth, glossy white with red or reddish brown spots. Breeding starts at the end of April and has about 1 - 2 clutches.

Nest: Nuthatches use a hole in a tree or wall, or an abandoned nest. It reduces the size of entry by plastering with mud. The nest consists of bark chips and dead leaves.

Description: The Nuthatch has a grey long-pointed bill and a short tail. Its wings, crown and nape are bluey grey in colour with its under parts in orange buff changing to red brown on it's flanks. Beneath its black eye stripe (which make it look like a burglar) there is a white stripe. It has very powerful toes, which they use to climb up, down and around tree trunks.

Song and Calls: Use the audio player below to hear Songs and Calls of the Nuthatch. Requires the Flash plugin.

* No identified threat to the population’s status

Top