EED-BREASTED NUTHATCH. 



728. Sitta canadensis. 4% inches. 



These birds have the same habits as the larger 

 Nuthatch, but are often found in flocks, while the 

 White-breasted are usually in pairs and in the fall 

 accompanied by their young. In the winter we 

 usually find them in coniferous trees, where we can 

 locate them by their nasal calls or by the shower of 

 bark that they pry from the tree in their quest for 

 grubs. 



Song. A nasal yank-yank, like that of the last, 

 but not so loud, and usually repeated more times. 



Nest. In hollow stumps and limbs, the area about 

 the opening nearly always being coated with fir 

 balsam, for what purpose is not known; the cavity 

 is lined with grasses and feathers; they lay from 

 four to seven white eggs, which are very thickly 

 spotted with reddish brown (.60 x .50). 



Range. N. A., breeding from the northern parts 

 of the northern tier of states, northward; winters 

 south nearly to the Gulf and southern California. 



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