Scientific name: Sitta europaea
It is a resident bird of deciduous woods and parkland, with some old trees for nesting. It feeds on insects, seeds and nuts. Its old name nut-hack derives from its habit of wedging a nut in a crevice in a tree, and then hacking at it with its strong bill. It has the ability, like other nuthatches, to climb down trees, unlike species such as woodpeckers which can only go upwards. It will come to bird feeding tables, and is then very aggressive, driving other species away. Nests are in holes or crevices, lined with bark or grass. The size of the hole entrance may be reduced by the building of a neat mud wall. Five to eight eggs are laid, white speckled with red. Nuthatches are omnivorous, eating mostly insects, nuts and seeds. They forage for insects hidden in or under bark by climbing along tree trunks and branches, sometimes upside down. They forage within their territories when breeding, but may join mixed feeding flocks at other times. Their habit of wedging a large food item in a crevice and then hacking at it with their strong bills gives this group its English name. This is a noisy bird, often located by its repeated tui-tui-tui call.
Information and photograph courtesy of en.wikipedia.org
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