January 22, 2025

A tiny little critter, the Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis). I have to shake my head at the word “red” used as a label for this bird. Who thinks these names up? Don’t they know their colors? Wikipedia uses a perfect word for this Nuthatch’s belly – cinnamon. Another appropriate word to describe the color that I’ve seen, buff. But not red!

The Red-bellied Nuthatch doesn’t come through every winter. Every now and then, thanks to fluctuations in their winter food supply, they are forced to leave their normal wintering grounds sometimes ending up here. This is called an irruption.

Their call is quite entertaining. A yank-yank, sounding like the horn of a little toy tin car.

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