White-breasted Nuthatch

White-breasted Nuthatch

I was on my way to a job, making balloons for the masses, when I stopped in a rest area just outside of Duchesne, Utah. I typically try to give myself extra time when I travel in case I need to pull over because I get drowsy or if there happens to be a lot of construction. This time neither had happened and I had quite a bit of time on my hands and there were paved trails up behind the restrooms. I got my camera and binoculars and headed up. I was hoping to find a Juniper Titmouse, a small nondescript gray bird with a cute tuft on its head. The rest stop was mostly scrub oak, but there was a little stand of Juniper that got my hopes up. As I approached I could see a little bird making its way through the branches. I put the binoculars up to my eyes and sure enough I had found my bird. My binoculars went down and my camera went up. I got pictures but the little guy refused to let me get a nice clear unobstructed one. I crept closer. Suddenly I saw movement out of the corner of my eye. On the trunk of a small scrub oak I saw a little white bird, its head was parallel to the ground but its body was parallel to the trunk of the tree, tail in the air. I was too excited about the Titmouse to be distracted, I figured I would come back for the white bird later. I did not see it again that day, or get a picture, but there was no mistaking what it was. I'd seen my first White-breasted Nuthatch.

Identification Tips

This is a small (sparrow sized) bird that like all Nuthatches seems to have a lot of energy. The back is gray and black the head white with a black cap and dark eye. The Bill is slightly upturned. The chest and belly are white/gray and the undertail a rusty red color.

Cool/Interesting Facts

I will update this part as I learn more about the bird.

Where I've seen them

These are generally mountain birds, though I have seen them in lower elevations.

Duchesne rest stop has a few, I've seen them there reliably 3 times now.
I've also seen them at the Nebo Bench Trailhead in the Nebo Loop.

Similar Birds

Red-breasted Nuthatch



The Red and White-breasted Nuthatches are similar in size. The Red-breasted Nuthatch has a distinctive red breast and a thick black eyeline.





Black-capped Chickadee

The Black-capped Chickadee is a smaller bird than this Nuthatch. Also it will have a black chin that is missing from this bird. Chickadees also make a very distinctive "Chick-a-dee-dee-dee" sound that can help distinguish them.





Mountain Chickadee




Like the Black-capped Chickadee this bird is smaller than a Nuthatch. It also has the black chin and a white eyebrow.





Gray Catbird
This bird is much, much larger than a Nuthatch. It is almost uniform gray except for the rust/red under the tail.


Sources:
allaboutbirds.org