Family SITTID^. 



THE NUTHATCH. 



Sitta casiut Wolf. 

 Plate 9. 



This bird may be said to be common in localities suited to its habits, over 

 central and southern England, becoming scarcer as one goes northwards, and is 

 very rare in Scotland. 



One individual seen in Ireland, in 191 1, had probably been introduced. 



When making its nest, this bird usually selects a hole in a tree, and cleverly 

 fills in the entrance with wet clay, until the size suits its requirements. A rough 

 nest is made within the cavity, composed of dead leaves, or scales from the bark 

 of pine trees, which contains six or seven eggs, in colour creamy-white, blotched 

 with reddish-brown. 



According to Mr. J. G. Millais, "the call-note of the Nuthatch is a rather soft 

 'twit-twit,'" and another note is the loud "quoit-quoit," which has been accurately 

 described by the Rev. C. A. Johns in his British Birds in their Haunts as being 

 " precisely like the sound made by a pebble thrown so as to bound along ice." In 

 spring, during the pairing season, the courting note is a long musical trill. 



In autumn and winter its principal food consists of various nuts, acorns, haws, 

 &c., and at other times of insects. 



It has a characteristic habit of fixing a nut in some chink or crevice in a tree, 

 and striking and hammering at the shell with its strong pointed bill, soon extracts 

 the kernel. The noise made by this tapping will often betray its whereabouts. 



The Nuthatch is an active, restless bird, creeping about the branches of tall 

 trees, as much at ease when its head is pointing directly downwards as in any 

 other position. 



The female is slightly duller in colour than the male. 



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