Nuthatches walk down tree trunks head-first, the only North American songbirds that routinely do so. The trick lets them spot insects other birds miss.
Their name comes from their habit of jamming nuts into bark crevices and hammering ('hatching') them open with their bill.
Pairs are monogamous and stay together year-round on a small permanent territory.
They smear crushed insects around the cavity entrance — likely a chemical deterrent to predators.
Nuthatches are easy feeder visitors and respond well to nest boxes if you have mature trees on the property.
Black-oil sunflower, suet, peanut pieces, and shelled walnuts. They especially favor suet in winter.
Mount the box 12–25 ft up on a tree trunk facing east. They prefer real bark substrate over open lawn poles.
Mature oaks, hickories, and maples are ideal. Leave dead branches and snags standing where safe.
They'll drink from any clean water source; not picky.
House Sparrows and Starlings can take over a 1¼" entrance — keep boxes away from urban centers if possible.
Don't seal up natural cavities in dead branches — they're better than any nest box.
A non-migratory resident of mature deciduous and mixed forest across most of the US, southern Canada, and the Mexican highlands.
Year-round nearly everywhere except southern Florida, southern Texas, and the deep desert Southwest.
Resident throughout southern Ontario, Quebec, and the Maritimes, west through southern Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and BC.
A subspecies population lives year-round in the pine-oak woodlands of the Sierra Madre.
Mature deciduous and mixed forest with large trees and standing snags. Wooded suburbs with old shade trees are perfect — they're a regular at feeders in such yards.
Body sized to 4"×4" floor. The 1¼" panel locks out larger nest competitors while letting the White-breasted Nuthatch pass cleanly.
See the full lineupUses cavities as solo winter day-roosts; leave the box up year-round.