54 Land Birds of New England 



11. WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH 

 WHITE-BELLIED NUTHATCH 

 CAROLINA NUTHATCH 



(Sitta carolinensis). 



Male: upper parts bluish gray; wings and tail dusky, the latter 

 with white markings ; head and nape black ; under parts white. 

 Beak long, strong, dark ; feet horn-color. Bird a little smaller 

 than a sparrow. Female : similar, but black of head imperfect 

 or largely wanting. 



THE nuthatch is readily recognizable by its very 

 short tail, and by its habit of running down as well 

 as up tree trunks. "That little up-side-down bird' 

 it has been called. It spends the whole year with 

 us, but it is more abundant in the colder months 

 than at other times. It may be found in mixed 

 woods, especially where there are many old, decay- 

 ing trees and stumps. It feeds chiefly on insects 

 and larvae, which it picks out from the crevices of 

 the bark ; but it is also fond of nuts, and may be 

 attracted from the trees to a neighboring window by 

 cracked hickory nuts spread on the sill. 



The nest is built in open woodland at the bottom 

 of a hole dug out in a dead tree or stump. 



Its ordinary note is a harsh cry, somewhat resem- 

 bling the syllables quank, quank. 



