342 BIRDS OF ALABAMA 



moths, caterpillars, and other insects. Forbush states that 

 the stomach of a nuthatch examined from Massachusetts con- 

 tained 1,629 eggs of the fall cankerworm moth. He states 

 also that the bird feeds on gipsy caterpillars, forest cater- 

 pillars, scale insects, and plant lice.t 



RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH: Sitta canadensis Linnaeus. 



State records. — The red-breasted nuthatch occurs in Ala- 

 bama aa a rare and irregular visitant. Dr. Avery took the 

 species once at Greensboro, October 4, 1888,* and L. S. Golsan 

 observed about 10 individuals at Prattville on various dates 

 from December 22, 1918 to April 23, 1919.t Miss Parkhurst 

 reports it, also, from Talladega, where it was seen in the win- 

 ter of 1907-8 (exact date not recorded) . It has been observed 

 a few times on the coast of Mississippi (Biloxi, October 16, 

 1903 ; Bay St. Louis, April 1, 1902) , and should therefore be 

 found in southern Alabama. 



General habits. — This nuthatch is similar in habit to the 

 white-breasted, but is found almost constantly in coniferous 

 timber, where it feeds to some extent near the ends of the 

 branches and on the pine cones. The notes of this bird are 

 higher pitched, less vigorous, and more drawled than those of 

 the white-breasted huthatch. They have been compared to 

 the sound of "a tiny tin trumpet" and Chapman writes them 

 yna, yna. 



Food habits. — Barrows says of the food habits of this nut- 

 hatch : 



The food of this bird is presumably much like that of the 

 White-bellied Nuthatch, yet it seems to be much more fond of 

 the seeds of cones, and possibly does not consume as many 

 insects. It is said to visit the ground much less frequently, 

 but so far as our own observation goes there is little differ- 

 ence; either species goes to the ground freely and hunts for 

 food, sometimes for several minutes at a time.** 



tForbush, E. H., Useful birds and their protection, p. 175, 1907. 

 •Avery, W. C, Amer. Field, vol. 35, p. 55, 1891. 

 tHolt, E. G.. The Auk, vol. 36, p. 684, October, 1919. 

 ••Barrows, W. B., Michigan Bird Life, p. 691, 1912. 



