Sitta carolinensis
Silhouette: Alan and Elaine Wilson (Modified) · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~50% in a week ~80%
The white-breasted nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) is a species of bird in the nuthatch family Sittidae. It is a medium-sized nuthatch, measuring approximately 15.5 cm (6.1 in) in length. Coloration varies somewhat along the species' range, but the upperparts are light blue-gray, with a black crown and nape in males, while females have a dark gray crown. The underparts are whitish, with a reddish tinge on the lower abdomen. Despite not being closely related, the white-breasted nuthatch and the white wagtail are very similar in plumage.
The white-breasted nuthatch is a chatty bird. It has a nasal voice and often utters little cries or vocalizations, often composed of repetitions of small invariant whistles. In summer, it is an exclusively insectivorous bird, consuming a wide range of arthropods, but in winter its diet consists mainly of seeds. The nest is located in the cavity of a tree. The clutch consists of five to nine eggs, incubated for two weeks by the female, who is fed by the male. The two adults then feed the young until they fledge, and for a few weeks after that.
The white-breasted nuthatch breeds throughout much of North America, except in the cooler and drier areas. It is mainly found at low elevations, in deciduous forests or in mixed woodlands. Seven to nine subspecies are generally distinguished by their slightly distinct distributions, vocalizations, and coloration. The species was once thought to be related to the white-cheeked nuthatch (S leucopsis) and Przewalski's nuthatch (S. przewalskii), two species from southern Asia, but is actually more closely related to the giant nuthatch (S. magna), also from Southeast Asia. Wikipedia →
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montreal | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 2 | Sacramento | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Minneapolis [Saint Paul] | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Washington | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Edmonton | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 6 | Calgary | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 7 | Boston | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Detroit | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | Philadelphia | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Toronto | 🇨🇦 Canada |
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a White-breasted Nuthatch sighting in New York City on a given day, based on 28,817 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 35th most-seen of the 359 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 50%, and over a week to about 80%, if each day is a fresh chance.
December and January
In those months about 40% of wildlife watchers report a White-breasted Nuthatch in New York City on a given day, against about 10% in May to September, the lowest months.
Between 8 and 11 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most White-breasted Nuthatch sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
15th of 27
Of the 27 cities where we can rate White-breasted Nuthatch sightings, New York City ranks 15th at about 20%. The best odds are in Montreal (Canada, about 60%), Sacramento (United States, about 60%) and Minneapolis [Saint Paul] (United States, about 50%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the White-breasted Nuthatch is recorded against all the birds logged in New York City (28,817 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
