The nuthatch has a name as sharp as its dagger-like beak. It comes from the Middle English word ‘nuthak’, meaning nut hacker – a reference to how it wedges nuts into cracks before ‘hacking’ them open with its beak to reach the soft seed inside. This highwayman of the woods (complete with a distinctive black bandit eye-stripe) fills its small territory with as much attitude as its name suggests.
Arboreal Acrobat
This woodland specialist is easy to identify. A small, stocky bird with a sleek silhouette, its striking bluish-grey upperparts contrast beautifully with warm orange-buff underparts. Males typically display a slightly richer reddish-brown on the flanks.
Their compact body, short tail, powerful feet and sharp claws are perfectly adapted for their unique lifestyle of navigating tree trunks and branches. Nuthatches favour mature deciduous and mixed woodlands, especially those with large, old trees. While particularly common in oak and beech woodlands, they can also be found in parks and large gardens.
Nuthatches are unique among UK birds for their ability to climb down tree trunks headfirst. This behaviour sets them apart from treecreepers – which travel up tree trunks – and creates the signature pose often captured in photographs. Capturing this distinctive position requires patience and anticipation. Taking time to observe their foraging patterns and movements around the trunk will pay dividends. A fast shutter speed helps freeze their quick movements, while shooting in burst mode increases your chances of capturing the perfect moment.
Woodland Whistler
On Tweet of the Day, Bill Oddie describes the nuthatch’s call as “loud wolf whistles in the local park” – and he couldn’t be more accurate. These birds are remarkably vocal. Hearing a nuthatch on your local patch is a reliable indicator that you’ll regularly encounter them, as they rarely stray far from their hatching grounds and actively defend their territory throughout the year.
During spring, they become more visible as they search for tree cavities to nest in. They often use mud to reduce the entrance size of their chosen nest hole, deterring competitors and predators. Look out for opportunities to photograph them collecting dirt for this purpose. In summer, their focus shifts to feeding young, offering chances to capture adults carrying insects to the nest. Autumn presents scenes of nuthatches caching food.
Feeder Force
Like many woodland birds, nuthatches visit feeding stations when conditions are right, particularly during colder months. These situations offer easier opportunities for close-up photography with minimal disturbance.
Observe birds at feeders and you’ll notice that a nuthatch’s arrival typically causes other birds to make a hasty retreat. Their dominance is usually only challenged by the arrival of a great spotted woodpecker. Any aggression from nuthatches tends to be food-related, as they need considerable space and suitable habitat to access enough food for raising a family. A breeding pair requires a minimum of around 1 hectare of quality habitat.
Tree Needs
While nuthatches are thriving in the UK, any destruction of woods and trees would reduce their habitat, particularly the mature trees they depend on. Fortunately, they’re becoming increasingly common in Scotland, with milder winters encouraging their northward expansion.
The nuthatch may be a bit of a headbanger, but this acrobatic and photogenic woodland wonder is certainly worth pointing your lens at.