Features& Description
The Eurasian Nuthatch, Latin for “Sitta europaea”, is a small, stocky bird with a fairly large head that can climb vertically up trees.
It has a bluish-gray back and white or ochre-colored belly. In males, the flanks are a deeper reddish-brown near the legs.
Its flight is direct over short distances with short, rounded wings, slightly undulating over longer distances.
A black band extending over the shoulder separates the bluish-gray back from the orange-white belly.
Habitat(Biotope)
The Eurasian Nuthatch is very present in mixed and deciduous forests made up of old trees, in parks and large gardens.
At the lake, the large oak forest favors the presence of this bird, which takes advantage of the abundance of acorns and hazelnuts.
Behavior& habits
The Eurasian Nuthatch moves vertically up and down without difficulty. A true climbing bird, it moves very quickly in search of acorns on the ground, then hides them in reserves that it builds up throughout the year.
Its slender beak enables it to break the shell of hazelnuts while holding them in notches between branches or in the bark of a tree.
A very lively bird, it does not tolerate other birds in its area, let alone squirrels, squabbling with them for the same food.
Reproductionand immature
The Eurasian Nuthatch lines the inside of tree holes dug by other birds to lay 6 to 8 eggs.
Incubation lasts around 15 days, and the young leave the nest after 30 days.
Cryor Voice
The Eurasian Nuthatch has a rich repertoire of sounds. It is usually spotted by its powerful voice.
Its alarm call is an energetic, very loud “tuit” or vaguely rising “tchuit”, often repeated rapidly in short groups with short pauses.
It also emits various types of song, often fairly slow whistles, slightly rising or falling, “vuih, vuih, vuih, vuih…” or “viuu, viuu, viuu, viuu…” varying rapidly.
Nuthatch Jean Luc Foucret
Torchepot Nuthatch2
