ID Keys: Grayish-brown cap, gray upperparts, light underparts, white cheeks
and chin
Sociable birds, Pygmy
Nuthatches are most often seen in small groups as they forage for pine seeds and
insects. Their social behavior extends to the breeding season, when nests
may have "helper" birds which assist the mating pair in bringing food
to the young. Rarely found away from pine forests of the western U.S.,
they are typically only found in the Black Hills in South Dakota.
Habitat
Found primarily in ponderosa pine forests. They can also occasionally be found in other types of pine forests, in pinyon-juniper woodlands, and in redwood canyons.
Diet
Primarily feeds on insects in the summer. The winter diet includes many seeds, especially pine seeds.
Behavior
Usually feeds quite high in pine trees, climbing along main trunks and branches as well as the tips of the branches. Will also sometimes observe from a perch and fly out to catch passing insects.
Nesting
April through June
Song
Wide variety of warning and flight calls, often given in near-unison as small groups move.
Migration
Generally a permanent resident throughout their range, but may move to lower elevations in years with a poor pine-seed crop.
Interactive eBird Map
Click here to access an interactive eBird map of Pygmy Nuthatch sightings
