A small chestnut-capped nuthatch endemic to southern pine forests. Among the few cavity-nesting birds that uses tools (pine bark for prying).
§ Quick facts
§ Encyclopedia
The brown-headed nuthatch is a small songbird endemic to pine forests throughout the Southeastern United States. Genetic analyses indicated low differentiation between northern and southern populations in Florida, but the study also found lower genetic diversity among south Florida populations that may be a result of the increased habitat fragmentation that was documented. The Bahama nuthatch was formerly considered a subspecies (S. p. insularis), but has since been reclassified as its own separate species. Two recent studies assessing vocalizations in Bahama and continental nuthatch populations found important differences. One of the studies also demonstrated that continental and Bahama populations did not respond aggressively to calls of the other population. This type of call-response study is often used to help define cryptic species.
Source: Wikipedia — Brown-headed nuthatch Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
§ Identification
Field marks. Small nuthatch with a brown cap, a dark eye line, a white cheek and underparts, and a gray-blue back; a whitish nape spot.
Similar species. Pygmy Nuthatch (West) is nearly identical but has a grayer cap; range separates them. White-breasted Nuthatch is much larger with a black cap.
Voice. A high, squeaky, repeated 'pit' and a rubber-ducky-like 'kew-kew' from flocks.
§ Diet & behavior
Diet. Insects, seeds, nuts; caches food in bark crevices.
Behavior. A tiny social nuthatch of southern pine forests; uses bark flakes as tools to pry up other bark, and lives in family groups where young from the previous year help raise siblings.
§ Range
Southeastern US Coastal Plain
§ Habitat
Mature pine forests
§ Threats
Pine forest loss, climate change.
§ Conservation status
According to the IUCN Red List, the brown-headed nuthatch is currently classified as Least Concern.
§ What helps
Support southern pine forest conservation.
§ Further reading
- Wikipedia — Brown-headed nuthatch
- www.allaboutbirds.org — authoritative profile of Sitta pusilla
- IUCN Red List — search for Sitta pusilla
- GBIF occurrence records
- Encyclopedia of Life — Sitta pusilla
§ Sources cited
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology — All About Birds
- National Audubon Society
- iNaturalist
- IUCN Red List
