Birds
Red-Breasted Nuthatch
Sitta canadensis · also called red-breasted nuthatches
Having carefully daubed sticky conifer resin around its nest hole entrance, a red-breasted nuthatch flies straight in without brushing the sides, avoiding the very trap it built moments earlier to keep out squirrels and other intruders.
Overview
The red-breasted nuthatch, Sitta canadensis, is a small songbird native to coniferous forest across a broad range spanning Canada, the northern United States, and mountain ranges extending farther south. Its remarkable resin-based nest defence, precise flight avoiding its own sticky trap, and irregular winter movements tied to cone crop availability make it one of the more behaviourally inventive small songbirds found in North American conifer forests.
A trap built for everyone except itself
The red-breasted nuthatch’s sticky resin barrier works exactly as intended against squirrels and insects, while the bird itself simply threads the needle every time, flying straight through without ever getting caught in its own defence.
Status
Least Concern — widespread and common across suitable coniferous forest throughout its extensive range, with local numbers fluctuating year to year based on cone crop availability.
Red-Breasted Nuthatch: common questions
Why does the red-breasted nuthatch put resin around its nest?
This species daubs sticky conifer resin around its nest hole entrance, carried in the bill or on a flake of bark, creating a defensive barrier that appears to deter squirrels and insects from entering the nest, a distinctive behaviour not shared by most other North American cavity-nesting birds.
How does the red-breasted nuthatch avoid getting stuck in its own resin trap?
Having coated the nest entrance with sticky resin, this species flies directly into the hole without touching the sides, a precise flight manoeuvre that lets the bird avoid the same sticky barrier it deliberately created to keep out predators and competitors.
Why does the red-breasted nuthatch sometimes show up far outside its usual range?
This species sometimes undertakes irregular movements well outside its typical range during years when conifer cone crops fail across its normal habitat, a pattern known as an irruption that temporarily brings the species to areas it does not normally visit in search of adequate food.
What does the red-breasted nuthatch sound like?
This species produces a repeated, tinny, nasal call often compared to the sound of a small tin horn, a distinctive vocalisation that carries well through coniferous forest and often gives away the bird's presence before it is actually seen.