The Red-breasted Nuthatch is a small, rusty-bellied nuthatch of coniferous forests with a bold black eye stripe and cap. It applies sticky conifer resin around its nest cavity entrance — a behavior thought to deter predators and competitors. In years when cone crops fail in the boreal zone, it undertakes dramatic southward irruptions, flooding US feeders and lowland forests.
Best time to see a Red-breasted Nuthatch
The best time to see a Red-breasted Nuthatch is July–January, when about 64% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 29,165 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
Not certain it is a Red-breasted Nuthatch? What bird is this? walks through what to check first and the lookalikes that catch people out.
Recent Red-breasted Nuthatch sightings near you
Live, research-grade observations from iNaturalist. Allow location to center the map on you.
Spot a Red-breasted Nuthatch? Identify it instantly.
Point Huck at any plant, bird, or animal for an instant ID, its rarity, and a live map of where it is being seen near you.
Get HuckGet an alert when a Red-breasted Nuthatch is spotted
Pick a park, state, or city and we’ll email you when one turns up there. One check a day, only when there’s something new.
Free. Unsubscribe from any email. See our Privacy Policy.
Love birds? Get Huck field notes
Spotting tips, new species, and the best of what people are finding in the wild - straight to your inbox.