Texas is home to a wide variety of bird species due to its diverse range of habitats including pine forests, grasslands, deserts, wetlands, and coastal areas. Among the many birds found across the state are three species of nuthatches: the red-breasted nuthatch, the white-breasted nuthatch, and the pygmy nuthatch.
What are Nuthatches?
Nuthatches are small songbirds in the Sittidae family. They are characterized by their short tails, powerful bills, and tendency to forage for insects and seeds by climbing headfirst down tree trunks. This unique foraging behavior gives them their name – ‘nuthatch’ comes from the Middle English words ‘nut’ meaning nut or seed, and ‘hack’ meaning to hack or chop.
There are about 25 recognized species of nuthatches worldwide, all within the single genus Sitta. They occur across temperate regions of North America, Europe, and Asia. In North America, the three most widespread species are:
- Red-breasted nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) – small with blue-gray upperparts and reddish underparts
- White-breasted nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) – blue-gray above, white face and underparts
- Pygmy nuthatch (Sitta pygmaea) – blue-gray with white markings on face
Nuthatches have short legs, long claws, and very short tails. Their bills are long, straight, and dagger-like to help pry insects and seeds out of crevices in bark. They have strong toe claws that enable them to perch vertically on tree trunks and climb head first downwards as they forage.
Nuthatch Habitats and Range
Nuthatches occupy coniferous or mixed forests across North America. Each species is associated with particular tree species:
- Red-breasted nuthatches – pine forests
- White-breasted nuthatches – deciduous forests with oak, hickory, etc.
- Pygmy nuthatches – pine forests
In Texas, nuthatch habitat corresponds with the distribution of pine and mixed pine-hardwood forests across different regions of the state:
- East Texas – dense pine and pine-hardwood forests support red-breasted, white-breasted and pygmy nuthatches
- Edwards Plateau – juniper-oak woodlands harbor white-breasted nuthatches
- Guadalupe Mountains – mixed pine-juniper woodlands where pygmy nuthatches occur
- Davis Mountains – pygmy nuthatches in pine-oak forests
Nuthatches are non-migratory and maintain year-round resident populations throughout their breeding ranges. However, red-breasted and pygmy nuthatches may undergo periodic irruptions from their normal ranges when cone crops fail.
Red-breasted Nuthatch
The red-breasted nuthatch is a small nuthatch with blue-gray upperparts and reddish-orange underparts. It has a black cap and eye stripe contrasting with its white face. This nuthatch is 4.75–5.5 in long and weighs just 0.39–0.59 oz.
In Texas, red-breasted nuthatches occupy mature pine forests in the eastern part of the state. They are found year-round in the pine and pine-hardwood forests of the Piney Woods ecological region. Their range extends west along the northeastern edge of the Edwards Plateau into mixed Ashe juniper-pine woodlands.
Red-breasted nuthatches forage on tree trunks and branches for insects and seeds. Their diet consists mainly of beetles, caterpillars, ants, aphids, scale insects, spiders, and pine seeds. They forage in pairs or small family groups, moving erratically up, down, and around branches and trunks.
These nuthatches nest in natural cavities or old woodpecker holes in dead trees or dead parts of live trees. The female builds a nest out of bark strips, grass, moss, fibers, feathers, and fur. She lays 5-9 eggs that hatch in about 14 days. Young fledge in 18-21 days.
Red-breasted Nuthatch Range Map
Here is a range map for the red-breasted nuthatch in Texas:
Source: The Cornell Lab of Ornithology
White-breasted Nuthatch
The white-breasted nuthatch is a larger nuthatch species, measuring 5.5–6.5 in long and weighing 0.64–1.06 oz. It has blue-gray upperparts and a black cap contrasting with its white face, throat, and breast.
In Texas, white-breasted nuthatches are found year-round throughout most of the eastern two-thirds of the state. They occur in mature deciduous and mixed forests as well as wooded urban parks and neighborhoods. This species is a common resident of oak-juniper woodlands on the Edwards Plateau and also inhabits the pine-oak forests of northeastern Texas.
White-breasted nuthatches forage for insects on tree trunks and branches. Their diet includes beetles, caterpillars, ants, bees, wasps, and other invertebrates. They also eat acorns and other nuts, especially in winter. Seeds make up over half their winter diet. They forage in pairs or family groups and are commonly observed moving headfirst down tree trunks.
For nesting, this nuthatch excavates a nest hole in the rotten wood of dead trees or snags. The nest is lined with bark strips, grass, feathers, fur, and other soft materials. The female lays 5-9 eggs that hatch in about 12 days. Young leave the nest at 22-27 days.
White-breasted Nuthatch Range Map
Here is a range map showing the distribution of white-breasted nuthatches across Texas:
Source: The Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Pygmy Nuthatch
The pygmy nuthatch is the smallest North American nuthatch, measuring just 4–4.5 in long and weighing a mere 0.2–0.28 oz. This tiny nuthatch has blue-gray upperparts, pale gray underparts, and white markings around a black eye stripe and cap.
In Texas, the pygmy nuthatch occupies pine and pine-juniper woodlands in the northwestern part of the state. Its limited range includes the pine forests of the Guadalupe Mountains and Davis Mountains. Pygmy nuthatches live year-round in these regional habitats.
Pygmy nuthatches forage in flocks, moving acrobatically up, down, and around pine branches seeking out insects and seeds. They eat beetles, ants, caterpillars, aphids, scale insects and other small invertebrates. Pine seeds are also a major part of their diet. These tiny nuthatches nest in natural cavities or abandoned woodpecker holes in dead pines or snags. The nest is made of shredded bark, grasses, and feathers. The female lays 6-9 eggs. Young fledge after 18-21 days.
Pygmy Nuthatch Range Map
Here is the range of the pygmy nuthatch in relation to the pine forests of west Texas:
Source: The Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Nuthatch Identification Tips
Nuthatches can be identified by their short tails, large heads, long pointed bills, strong feet, and unusual headfirst foraging behavior on tree trunks. Here are some tips for differentiating the three Texas species:
Species | Field Marks |
---|---|
Red-breasted Nuthatch | – Reddish underparts – Black cap – White stripe over eye – Blue-gray upperparts |
White-breasted Nuthatch | – White face and underparts – Black cap – Pale bluish upperparts |
Pygmy Nuthatch | – Small size – White markings around eye – Pale blue-gray upperparts – Pale underparts |
Habitat can also be a helpful clue – red-breasted nuthatches in pine forests, white-breasted in deciduous woods, and pygmy limited to pine woodlands in west Texas.
Nuthatch vocalizations are also useful for identification. Red-breasted and pygmy nuthatches have higher-pitched nasal calls compared to the lower, whistled call of white-breasted nuthatches.
Nuthatch Conservation Status
All three nuthatch species found in Texas have secure overall populations. According to the North American Breeding Bird Survey, nuthatch species have experienced the following population trends from 1966 to 2019 in Texas:
Species | Population Trend in Texas |
---|---|
Red-breasted Nuthatch | Increasing +2.1% per year |
White-breasted Nuthatch | Stable to increasing +0.27% per year |
Pygmy Nuthatch | Decreasing -0.84% per year |
Texas supports sizable breeding populations of these nuthatch species, estimated in 2019 at:
- 270,000 red-breasted nuthatches
- 1.5 million white-breasted nuthatches
- 120,000 pygmy nuthatches
All three nuthatches are classified as Species of Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Habitat loss is the main threat they face across parts of their ranges.
Where to See Nuthatches in Texas
Some top sites across Texas to observe nuthatches include:
- Angelina National Forest – Red-breasted and white-breasted nuthatches in pine and mixed forests of east Texas
- Lost Maples State Natural Area – White-breasted nuthatches common in oak-juniper woodlands of Edwards Plateau
- Davis Mountains State Park – Pygmy nuthatches inhabiting pine-oak woodlands
- Guadalupe Mountains National Park – Pygmy nuthatches in high elevation pine forests
- Tyler State Park – Red-breasted and white-breasted nuthatches in pine and hardwood forests
Nuthatches can also be found closer to home in neighborhood woods, parks, golf courses, and backyards with mature trees. Stocking feeders with black oil sunflower seeds or suet is a good way to attract them.
Fun Facts About Nuthatches
- Nuthatches get their name from their habit of jamming large seeds into crevices in tree bark, then whacking them with their long bill to “hatch” the seed open.
- These agile birds can readily move up, down, sideways and upside down along branches and tree trunks.
- Nuthatches have special feathers around their eyes and nostrils to keep sawdust out as they excavate cavities for nesting.
- They have strong feet with long claws that enable them to cling securely to bark as they climb headfirst down trunks.
- Nuthatches sometimes plaster the entrance to their nest with mud or insect cocoons, reducing its diameter to deter predators.
- They are fond of peanuts and will stash seeds, nuts or suet in crevices to save for later – a behavior called “caching.”
- Mated pairs of nuthatches maintain pair bonds year-round and cooperate in raising young.
- The pygmy nuthatch is the smallest species of nuthatch and one of the smallest songbirds found in North America.
Conclusion
Texas hosts healthy populations of three nuthatch species – the red-breasted, white-breasted, and pygmy nuthatch. These small songbirds inhabit pine and mixed pine-hardwood forests across different regions of the state. Their ability to travel headfirst down tree trunks as they forage makes them fascinating birds to observe. With care given to conserving their woodland habitats, nuthatches should continue thriving across Texas for years to come.