Red-breasted Nuthatch
I had been Assistant Scoutmaster for only a few months. The scouts were supposed to go on a nature hike and identify 10 signs of different animals. I decided to head up to Big Springs and see what might be up there. Mostly I wanted to be able to identify anything the boys might find. It was late winter/early spring. It was a little chilly but not too bad. I had just crossed into an area of dense evergreens, snow dotted the ground in places and I spied them. They were fast! They darted from tree to tree quicker than I could follow. Luckily there were a lot of them. I jotted down some notes as to their appearance and figured I would find out what they were when I got home. It took me two weeks of internet searching but when I finally figured out it was a Red-breasted Nuthatch I was hooked! This was the beginning of a birder.
Identification Tips:
These are quick and small (think sparrow size). This bird is cobalt blue on the back and redish orange on the breast. It has a black cap and eyeline with a white eyebrow. The chin is also white. The beak is black and slightly upturned. Nuthatches can often be seen on a tree with their heads pointed toward the ground, though they can perch with the head up as well. Male and female birds are identical in plumage, there is no separate breeding plumage with this bird.Their call can be described as a "yank yank" and is very recognizable.
Cool/Interesting Facts
I will continue to update as I find out cool or interesting things.
Where I've seen them
They are often found in mountainous areas and I've personally found they like evergreen trees. They can be found lower in the valley during winter. They are often in groups (large or small).I have spotted them at the Nebo Bench Trailhead and Devil's Kitchen in the Nebo Loop.
I have also spotted them at Big Springs in the Provo Canyon- They were quite a ways up the trail.
Similar Birds
White-breasted Nuthatch
While the area under the tail is red, this nuthatch is lacking the red breast and the bold eyeline of the Red-breasted Nuthatch
American Robin
This bird is much, much bigger than the Red-breasted Nuthatch. I have also never seen it perch with its head down. While it can have a bluish back and does have red breast it does not have the cap and eyeline like the nuthatch.
Brown Creeper
Brown Creepers move very similarly to nuthatches. The brown color and downturned beak should be enough to rule this one out pretty quickly.
Sources:
allaboutbirds.org
