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Order: Passeriformes
Family: Sittidae
Genus: Sitta
Species: pusilla
La. passer sparrow, small bird
La. forma form, kind, species
Gr. sitte woodpecker like bird
mentioned by Aristotle
La. pusillus very small, tiny
Four inches or a little longer, smallest of the eastern
nuthatches. Brown crown, gray back and wings. White throat, cheeks, underparts, and small
nape patch. Black, gray, and off white tail feathers |
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| Inhabits mixed and coniferous forests from
New Jersey and the southeast corner of Pennsylvania, south to Florida and west to eastern
Texas and Oklahoma.
Builds nests of grass, feathers, pine seed "wings" and
other soft foliage, usually in pine trees from a hole in a stump to extreme heights, in
natural or abandoned cavities, or in cavities they excavate themselves.
Lays four to six, more or less, tiny speckled eggs that hatch after about two weeks of
incubation and young leave the nest in about another three weeks.
Brown-headed Nuthatches feed (in groups after the rearing season) on insects, spiders,
their larva and eggs in tree bark and on pinecone seeds. |
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The Brown-headed Nuthatch
Brown-headed Nuthatch Birdhouse (same as for
Pygmy Nuthatch) has a 4" by
4" floor, 9" inside ceiling, 1 1/8" diameter entrance hole located 7"
above the floor, ventilation openings and hinged roof. Assembled with screws. Chickadees,
titmice, and other nuthatches may use this box. |
| Mount this nest box in a wooded area, on a
pine tree trunk or large limb from a few feet for easy inspection and maintenance to out
of reach if necessary. Place a few chips on the nest box floor. |
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