White-breasted Nuthatch

White-breasted Nuthatches are small, energetic birds known for climbing tree trunks headfirst while searching for food. They are common visitors to backyard feeders and are especially fond of peanuts, sunflower seeds, and suet. Their nasal “yank-yank” call is often heard before they are seen.

White-breasted Nuthatches are peanut and nut fanatics that also love sunflower chips and black oil sunflower seeds. They're famous for walking headfirst down tree trunks — a trick no other bird can match — and they wedge large seeds into bark crevices to hammer them open. Offering peanuts and premium nuts virtually guarantees nuthatch visits.

Nuthatches are equally happy at tube feeders, hopper feeders, and suet cages. A peanut feeder or tube feeder with sunflower chips near a large mature tree is the winning combination. They forage up and down trunks all day, so mounting a suet cage directly on a tree trunk mimics their natural feeding style perfectly.

Nuthatches need mature trees with rough, furrowed bark — oaks, maples, and hickories are ideal. They nest in natural tree cavities and old woodpecker holes, so keeping dead snags standing is critical. A nest box with a 3.2cm (1¼-inch) entrance hole works as a substitute. They spend their entire lives on tree trunks and major branches, so a yard with several large, mature trees is nuthatch paradise. Avoid stripping loose bark from trees — that's where nuthatches cache seeds and find overwintering insects.