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Difference between revisions of "White-breasted Nuthatch" - BirdForum Opus

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[[Image:White-breasted_Nuthatch.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by MI_Phil<br />Photo taken: Wexford County, Michigan, USA..]]
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[[Image:White-breasted_Nuthatch.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo &copy; by {{user|MI_Phil|MI_Phil}}<br />Wexford County, [[Michigan]], [[USA]]]]
 
;[[:Category:Sitta|Sitta]] carolinensis
 
;[[:Category:Sitta|Sitta]] carolinensis
 
==Identification==
 
==Identification==
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L. 5-6 in (13-15 cm) Sparrow-sized *Blue-grey above *White underparts and face *Black crown
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Length 15·5 cm (6 in)<br />
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Usually seen creeping on tree trunks, head downward
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*Blue-grey above
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*White underparts and face
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*Black crown
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====Variation====
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Three forms should be distinguishable in the field: slender-billed (Pacific), Rocky Mountain, and Carolina (Eastern half of the continent). See post 58 in this Birdforum thread<sup>[[#References|[4]]]</sup>.
 
==Distribution==
 
==Distribution==
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Largely resident from [[British Columbia]], [[Ontario]], and [[Nova Scotia]] south to southern [[California]], [[Arizona]], [[Gulf Coast]], and central [[Florida]]. Absent from most of Great Plains.
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Largely resident from [[British Columbia]], [[Ontario]], and [[Nova Scotia]] south to southern [[California]], [[Arizona]], Gulf Coast, and central [[Florida]]. Absent from most of Great Plains.
  
 
==Taxonomy==
 
==Taxonomy==
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[[Image:Youngnut.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Juvenile<br />Photo &copy; by {{user|Deerbird|Deerbird}}<br />[[Kentucky]], [[USA]], 10 July 2020]]
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A recent paper proposes that the White-breasted Nuthatch should be split into 4 species corresponding to the areas The Pacific, The East, ESNNR [Eastern Sierra Nevada and Northern Rockies] and RGM [Rocky Mountain, Great Basin and Mexico]<sup>[[#References|[4]]]</sup>.
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====Subspecies====
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Nine subspecies are recognized<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>:
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*''S. c. carolinensis'' - North-eastern [[North America]] to Dakotas, [[Kansas]], [[Oklahoma]] and eastern [[Texas]]
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*''S. c. nelsoni'' - Rocky Mountains of western [[US]] to northern [[Mexico]] ([[Sonora]] and northern [[Chihuahua]])
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*''S. c. oberholseri'' - South-western [[Texas]] (Chisos Mountains) to eastern [[Mexico]] (northern Sierra Madre Oriental)
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*''S. c. mexicana'' - Mountains of western [[Mexico]] (Sierra Madre Occidental)
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*''S. c. kinneari'' - Mountains of western [[Mexico]] ([[Guerrero]] and [[Oaxaca]])
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*''S. c. tenuissima'' -[[British Columbia]] and Cascades to the east slope of the Sierra Nevada of northern [[California]] (south to Tulare County)
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*''S. c. aculeata'' -western [[Washington]] to western [[Oregon]] (east to the west slope of the Cascades), [[California]] (east to the west slope of the Sierra Nevada), and northern Baja California (Sierra Juárez)
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*''S. c. alexandrae'' -Mountains of northern [[Baja California]] (San Pedro Mártir)
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*''S. c. lagunae'' Mountains of southern [[Baja California]] (Sierra de la Laguna)
  
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Three additional subspecies, ''atkinsi, umbrosa'' and ''cookei''<sup>[[#References|[2]]]</sup>, are not recognised by all authorities.
 
==Habitat==
 
==Habitat==
 
Deciduous and mixed forests, also coniferous.
 
Deciduous and mixed forests, also coniferous.
 
==Behaviour==
 
==Behaviour==
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Breeding: 5 or 6 white eggs, lightly speckled with red-brown, in a cup of twigs and grass lined with feathers and hair in a natural cavity, bird box, or hole excavated by the birds.
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Usually seen creeping on tree trunks, head downward
 +
====Breeding====
 +
Five to six white eggs, lightly speckled with red-brown, are laid in a cup of twigs and grass lined with feathers and hair. The nest site is in a natural cavity, bird box, or hole excavated by the birds.
 +
====Diet====
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They have a varied diet of insects, seeds, acorns and nuts and are known to stores food behind loose bark for use during the winter. Commonly seen at bird feeders.
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====Vocalisation====
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'''Call''': A nasal ''yank-yank''.<br />
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'''Song''': A series of low whistled notes.
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==References==
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#{{Ref-Clements6thAug19}}#[http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?p=2318327 Birdforum thread] (especially from post29) discussing taxonomy of this species
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{{ref}}
  
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Call: A nasal ''yank-yank''.
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==External Links==
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{{GSearch|"Sitta carolinensis" {{!}} "White-breasted Nuthatch"}}
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{{GS-checked}}
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<br />
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<br />
  
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Song: A series of low whistled notes.
 
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The habit of creeping headfirst down a tree trunk, then stopping and looking around with head held out at a 90-degree angle, is characteristic of nuthatches. The White-breasted is an inquisitive, acrobatic bird, pausing occasionally to hang and hammer at a crack. Essentially nonmigratory, during the fall it stores food for winter in crevices behind loose tree bark. Pairs seem to remain together year-round, for the species may be found in twos even in the dead of winter. Although they often join mixed flocks of chickadees, woodpeckers, and kinglets roaming the winter woods, they tend to remain in their territories. They are familiar visitors to bird feeders.
 
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==External Links==
 
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{{GSearch|Sitta+carolinensis}}
 
  
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[[Category:Birds]][[category:incomplete]] [[Category:Sitta]]
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[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Sitta]]

Latest revision as of 20:02, 12 December 2022

Photo © by MI_Phil
Wexford County, Michigan, USA
Sitta carolinensis

Identification

Length 15·5 cm (6 in)

  • Blue-grey above
  • White underparts and face
  • Black crown

Variation

Three forms should be distinguishable in the field: slender-billed (Pacific), Rocky Mountain, and Carolina (Eastern half of the continent). See post 58 in this Birdforum thread[4].

Distribution

Largely resident from British Columbia, Ontario, and Nova Scotia south to southern California, Arizona, Gulf Coast, and central Florida. Absent from most of Great Plains.

Taxonomy

Juvenile
Photo © by Deerbird
Kentucky, USA, 10 July 2020

A recent paper proposes that the White-breasted Nuthatch should be split into 4 species corresponding to the areas The Pacific, The East, ESNNR [Eastern Sierra Nevada and Northern Rockies] and RGM [Rocky Mountain, Great Basin and Mexico][4].

Subspecies

Nine subspecies are recognized[1]:

  • S. c. carolinensis - North-eastern North America to Dakotas, Kansas, Oklahoma and eastern Texas
  • S. c. nelsoni - Rocky Mountains of western US to northern Mexico (Sonora and northern Chihuahua)
  • S. c. oberholseri - South-western Texas (Chisos Mountains) to eastern Mexico (northern Sierra Madre Oriental)
  • S. c. mexicana - Mountains of western Mexico (Sierra Madre Occidental)
  • S. c. kinneari - Mountains of western Mexico (Guerrero and Oaxaca)
  • S. c. tenuissima -British Columbia and Cascades to the east slope of the Sierra Nevada of northern California (south to Tulare County)
  • S. c. aculeata -western Washington to western Oregon (east to the west slope of the Cascades), California (east to the west slope of the Sierra Nevada), and northern Baja California (Sierra Juárez)
  • S. c. alexandrae -Mountains of northern Baja California (San Pedro Mártir)
  • S. c. lagunae Mountains of southern Baja California (Sierra de la Laguna)

Three additional subspecies, atkinsi, umbrosa and cookei[2], are not recognised by all authorities.

Habitat

Deciduous and mixed forests, also coniferous.

Behaviour

Usually seen creeping on tree trunks, head downward

Breeding

Five to six white eggs, lightly speckled with red-brown, are laid in a cup of twigs and grass lined with feathers and hair. The nest site is in a natural cavity, bird box, or hole excavated by the birds.

Diet

They have a varied diet of insects, seeds, acorns and nuts and are known to stores food behind loose bark for use during the winter. Commonly seen at bird feeders.

Vocalisation

Call: A nasal yank-yank.
Song: A series of low whistled notes.

References

  1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, S. M. Billerman, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2019. The eBird/Clements Checklist of Birds of the World: v2019. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
  2. Birdforum thread (especially from post29) discussing taxonomy of this species

Recommended Citation

External Links

GSearch checked for 2020 platform.

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