Nuthatch
The nuthatch is a wild bird that is not often seen in many gardens. This is because they prefer dense woodland as its main habitat, although they have been seen in gardens with oak trees as these provide the optimum habitat for these birds. If you are lucky enough to have a nuthatch visiting your garden it should be very easy to recognise. Although they are seen in the UK, these birds have never been recorded in Ireland.
Most nuthatches are highly sedentary, moving far away from where they were hacthed, but only moving in short periods at a time. They llve to nest in old nests that once belonged to a woodpecker.
It's bright orange-yellow breast and slate blue back are separated by a white face with a black eye-stripe. The wings on a nuthatch transition from slate blue at the base to a dark blue-black at the tip, a small portion at the tip of the tail presents the same blackish hue.
Feeding Habits
Nuthatches can become reliant upon bird food in the winter months. The protein and fat content of suet products is especially important to nuthatches in the winter as it contains nutrients provided by natural food sources that have become scarce. They will also enjoy Sunflower Hearts and Peanuts too. They have been known to take food from what we provide adn then store the food elsewhere.
