Red-breasted Nuthatch

Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) is in the Nuthatches family (Sittidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 31,368 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in September.

Seasonal pattern in the national data: year-round resident. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.

When to photograph Red-breasted Nuthatch: observations by month (U.S.)

About Red-breasted Nuthatch

The red-breasted nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) is a small songbird. The adult has blue-grey upperparts with cinnamon underparts, a white throat and face with a black stripe through the eyes, a straight grey bill and a black crown. Its call, which has been likened to a tin trumpet, is high-pitched and nasal. It breeds in coniferous forests across Canada, Alaska and the northeastern and western United States. Though often a permanent resident, it regularly irrupts further south...From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.

Red-breasted Nuthatch by state

Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.

Related birds (Nuthatches)

White-breasted NuthatchSitta carolinensis

Pygmy NuthatchSitta pygmaea

Brown-headed NuthatchSitta pusilla

Photography tips

• Use a fast shutter (1/2000 s or faster) for birds in flight.
• Focus on the eye and shoot at the bird's eye level.
• Approach slowly and stop if the bird changes behavior; never bait or flush birds.
• Morning activity peaks in the first two hours after sunrise.

FAQ