Alternative names: Snowy-browed Nuthatch; Black-headed Nuthatch
- Sitta villosa
Identification
11.5cm. A small nuthatch.
- Black cap
- White supercilium
- Narrow blackish eyestripe
- Slender, sharply pointed bill
- Blue-grey upperparts
- White cheek, ear-coverts, chin and upper throat
- Pale greyish-buff rest of underparts
Sexes similar. Females with less contrast between black cap and blue-grey upperparts. Juveniles with duller cap.
Similar species
Corsican Nuthatch is remarkably similar, but ranges don't overlap.
Distribution
Patchily distributed in northern China, the Russian Far East and North Korea. Rare non-breeding visitor in South Korea.
Fairly common in most of its range.
Taxonomy
Formerly treated conspecific with Corsican Nuthatch and Red-breasted Nuthatch.
Three subspecies recognized:
- S. v. bangsi in north-central China
- S. v. villosa in northeast China
- S. v. corea in the Russian Far East, etxtreme North Korea and northeast China*
*This last subspecies is not recognised by all authorities[1]
Habitat
Temperate forests mostly in hills. Also recorded breeding in city park.
Behaviour
Diet
Feeds on insects. In winter pine seeds and other seeds are also taken.
Often hoards food.
Breeding
Breeding recorded in April and May. The nest is placed in a tree cavity, a rotten stump or in an old building, 0.3 to 14m above the ground. Lays 4 to 9 eggs.
Summer visitor to northern parts of its range (like Russian Far East), resident in southern parts.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, B.L. Sullivan, C. L. Wood, and D. Roberson. 2012. The eBird/Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to October 2012. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/downloadable-clements-checklist
- Del Hoyo, J, A Elliott, and D Christie, eds. 2008. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 13: Penduline-tits to Shrikes. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8496553453
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Chinese Nuthatch. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 16 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Chinese_Nuthatch
