Nuthatches (1 Viewer)

[Photographer Nick]

I have been feeding birds for a long time but one of the only birds I have not seen at my feeders is a Nuthatch aside from a Pileated. I have Tried Peanut Feeders, Sunflower seeds, suet cakes, and all sorts of mixed seed. None have yielded a Nuthatch.

Does anyone here get Nuthatches at their feeders? And if you do what kind of feederds and feed do they go to? What time of day do you see them most? Is there a certain kind of tree they like to nest in?

 

[laleo]

I've been feeding a mixture of black oil sunflower and safflower seed for about two months and just yesterday had this little guy come for a visit. I did put out a suet feeder with a peanut butter type mixer but only the squirrels have found that. This is the first red breasted nuthatch I've seen but I have seen white breasted nuthatches moving up and down the trees in my yard.

 

[thaw]

i'm in an old growth forest in southwestern ontario. i have nuthatches galore.
mine like oilseed in my tube feeder, suet, and peanuts from a flat feeder.
this spring i actually had a red brested nuthatch take a peanut from my hand, while i was out filling my feeder. very possibly the one in my avitar.
they aren't partiularly afraid of me. of course i have been feeding them for about five years here.

ps.
beautiful picture laleo.

 

[Photographer Nick]

laeo, that picture of the red breasted nuthatch is great. are you a bird photographer? I like to call myself a bird photographer but i'm really an amateur.

 

[pstraughan]

I use Nuttery feeders for both peanuts and sunflower seeds (squirrel problem!). The Nuthatches have recently returned to my garden after a break of nearly a year. They always used the feeders quite happily and aggressively before but this new batch seem a little less confident. They seem happier with the seed feeders, where they can "snatch and run" than with the peanut feeders.

I have never seen them feed on suet.

My garden is just across the road from a wood, which is maainly oak.

Pat

 

[thaw]

well, here's an interesting story.
just this evening, while waiting for my son to get ready for a walk. i was watching a redbreasted nuthatch taking oil seeds form the feeder on my deck, around the corner and across the front porch.
having a couple of minutes to wait, i decided to go out the front and watch.
the bird came aroud the corner and landed on a cedar rail leaning against the porch, just as i came out the door, jammed a seed in between the folds of the rail 2 feet from me, and proceeded to crack it open with its beak, then, flew back around to the feeder.
not having a good angle at the "show", i took the opertunity of the bird being back at the feeder to position myself for a better look.
i was standing still, with my arms folded in front of me, as he came back around the corner and perched on a bundle of walking sticks that we have gathered from various walks, and hopped one to another from the side farthest away from me to the sticks closest to me, then, flew over and perched on the fold that covers the fly of my jeans and stayed there for about 5 seconds before flying up into the nearest pine tree.
i was in complete shock as i couldn't believe what had just happened.
i just thought it was weird that i had just posted how to attract nuthaches on this thread yesterday, and this happens today.

 

[amkid247]

the first fall i fed the birds i had 2 white breasted, and 2 red breasted, then the red breasted left, and later the white breasted left, now i have none.

 

[thaw]

allthough my redbresteds (and white) will feed on suet. they tend to enjoy mainly oilseed, sunflower seeds, but they really enjoy peanuts.
the one that i had the event from my post above, came to my feeder today while i was out on the deck, and let me walk right up to it, and i actually put my hand right against the feeder it was feeding from.

 

[laleo]

Nick, thaw,

Thanks for the comments on the picture. I'm not sure I would call myself a photographer yet. I've always enjoyed watching and taking pictures of birds and just recently got my first DSLR camera. The feeders at my house provide an excellent opportunity to practice with the camera. It's always ready and waiting by the window. You never know what will show up at the feeders or in the yard. Good luck with the photography.

 

[steveo]

got nuthatch?

As all others have stated these little guys love peanuts, seeds and suet. I expect that if you keep trying you will get nuthatches.

 

[susb8383]

We have lots of nuthatches in our area. We have a little bit of woods on one side of our house and the Sudbury River, but other than that, it is not very woodsy.

I just have a feeder containing black oil sunflower. Every bird under the sun seems to like it, including our nuthatches.

I don't think it's as much an issue of what you are feeding them. Maybe you just don't have many nuthatches in your area?

Incidentally, I have a blog that has tips on keeping squirrels out of feeders:
http://squirrelproofbirdfeedertips.blogspot.com/

 

[steveo]

As all others have stated these little guys love peanuts, seeds and suet. I expect that if you keep trying you will get nuthatches.

For the 2 years I fed only Whitey Ford showed up. Then finally out of the blue, Red Auerbach. For a Boston boy that was some heavy sh#t. Follow me ?

 

[Gillian_M]

I'd love to get nuthatches at my feeder, but unfortunately our neighbourhood is less than 20 years old and we don't have a lot of mature trees. However, I live 5 minutes away from a conservation area where chickadees and both nuthatches will take food from my hand - peanuts and sunflower seeds are their favourites!

The red-breasted nuthatches are fearless. They zip down from the trees, take the food from my hand, and zip off as though I were an inanimate object! The white-breasted nuthatches, however, are much shyer. They will creep down the tree, stop at about eye level, look at my hand, think about it for a minute, and then fly to my hand - if they bother to at all! Sometimes I have to drop the food on the ground for them.

Once I ran out of food on a trail, and a red-breasted nuthatch found me then started following me. I felt so bad I had nothing to give him, I actually went back the next day (and couldn't find him!)

 

[J Huff]

Hi,

I have attracted these beauties with suet. It seems to work best when hung on a tree trunk. They are tree clingers and will feed while walking up and down a tree trunk.



John

 

[Transformer]

They were a regular last winter but disappeared for most of the warmer weather. They have just now returned, for about a full week. As has been stated, they love the nuts and suet.

 

[amkid247]

i really wish i get nuthatches this winter, thankfully my chickadees just returned b/c the grackles have let off of them.

 

[Transformer]

Over the weekend I removed my air conditioners, thus allowing me access to the long tube nut feeder. I filled it with fresh nuts and have seen all of the regulars PLUS...FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER...RED BREASTED NUTHATCH. Adorable.

 

[Susan C]

Both chickadees and nuthatches seem to like safflower in my feeders.

 

[TerryK]

I have red breasted nuthatches every winter and this year at least 4 of them stuck around all summer. I love these little guys! They seem so intelligent and are very tame. I was out of town for 2 weeks this spring so my feeders ran dry and when I was filling them 2 nuthatches were sitting not 2 feet from me chattering at me like they were saying "it's about time!!". Funnyest thing I've ever seen! I even talked to them while they waited and they both would stop and listen until I stopped talking. Very cool!

btw, mine also seem to prefer oilseed, sunflower and peanuts. They always fly to a favorite spot to wedge the seed into a crevice so it can be broken up. very entertaining birds.

 

[laleo]

I tried some wireless photography last night. Setup the camera on tripod 4 feet from the feeder, as I was setting up nuthatches and chickadees were flying around me so I decided to sit in the grass about 6 feet from the camera. I was setting off the shutter with a wireless remote and captured this shot. I wish I had brought a second camera out because the birds got so comfortable with the tripod they were actually landing on it.