Nuthatches and Woodpeckers

[Adey Baker]

A couple of years, or so ago a Nuthatch pair and Great-spotted Woodpecker pair had nests, just a couple of feet apart, in the same tree in my local woodland.

There appeared to be no animosity between the two species which seemed to come and go without concern for one another.

I had noticed, recently, that a pair of Nuthatches had again taken one of the holes for their nest-site. Today, as the male was bringing food to the female just outside the nest, a pair of Green Woodpeckers arrived nearby.

This seemed to cause a certain amount of agitation in the Nuthatches and when one Woodpecker landed in the tree immediately behind the nest this agitation increased considerably!

Both Nuthatches, but especially the male, moved closer and closer to the Woody, calling more and more vociferously and when this didn't have an effect the male started flying straight at it and I'm sure that he actually struck it several times!

The Woodpecker only left when someone walked past the tree (it was right next to a path).

Woodpeckers are known nest predators but, presumably, Nuthatches fear Green much more than Great-spotteds.

[lidrokz]

I'm not sure if I'm replying to your story of the woodpeckers & nuthatches nesting in the same tree correctly-please bear with me- I'm NEW to this! I live in B.C. Canada. A few summers ago we had 6 species of birds (Red-Breasted Nuthatch,Starling,Red-naped Sapsucker,Downy Woodpecker,Northern Flicker & Black capped Chickadee) as well as a family of Squirrels & Bats all nesting in the same dead birch tree in our backyard! It was a very exciting time for me! I even wrote a story about it for our local newspaper( The bats actually moved in just after the birds were done,but not in to any holes they had occupied) The tree has since fallen down but we still have other dead Poplars for this years birds to nest in. An interesting note about the Nuthatch"s nest hole-She spread pitch around the outside of the entrance hole to help foil predators!!