White-Breasted Nuthatch

Check out the White-Breasted Nuthatch!  

White-Breasted Nuthatch
White-Breasted Nuthatch

Not many visitors to my bird feeders the last few days.   Thought with the warmer temperatures (high of 41 yesterday!) and the snow melting off the feeders, there would be more yesterday.   Only noticed this guy – a male White-Breasted Nuthatch.  I love to watch how they feed upside down! 

 

 

Checked out my Birds of Wisconsin Field Guide and it says the males have black caps and the females are similar looking but with a gray cap and nape.    I’ll have to keep a closer eye out to see if males or females are visiting.  Without knowing that detail, they all looked the same to me.

White-Breasted Nuthatch
White-Breasted Nuthatch

 

The book also says “the nuthatch’s habit of hopping headfirst down tree trunks helps it see insects and insect eggs that birds climbing up the trunk might miss.”  Pretty darn smart!

Birds of Wisconsin Field Guide, Second Edition

 

More Pictures of the White-Breasted Nuthatch: