Sitta carolinensis
Mature trees and feeders across most of the Lower 48 and southern Canada. No useful ground track.
What does a white-breasted nuthatch look like?
White below, gray above, black cap, and a habit of walking down the tree headfirst.
What do white-breasted nuthatch tracks look like?
The sign is the behavior on the trunk, not a footprint.
- No useful ground track
- Walks headfirst down a trunk
- White face and breast, gray back, black cap
- Long bill
- Whitewash on a feeder
What does white-breasted nuthatch poop look like?
Tiny droppings under a feeder, not distinctive. Do not handle droppings. Several species carry parasites that stay in the soil around a latrine.
Where you find it
Mature trees and feeders across most of the Lower 48 and southern Canada. Typical places: yard, woods. Year-round in much of the range. Some move south for winter.
What to do next
- Watch from a distance
- Do not approach a nest
- If a bird is injured, call a local wildlife rehabilitator
This page is a field guide, not a permit to approach wildlife. If an animal is injured, aggressive, or inside a house, call a local wildlife officer.
Animals it is confused with
- Black-capped chickadee identification
- Tufted titmouse identification
- All animal identification pages
- Identify an animal from a photo, track, or description
How do you tell a nuthatch from a chickadee?
A nuthatch has no black bib and walks headfirst down the bark. A chickadee has a black bib and hops.
How to tell a white-breasted nuthatch from similar animals
Use the track, the dropping, and the place together. One print is not enough.
- Black-capped chickadee. Too small to read well. Black cap, black bib, white cheeks.
- Tufted titmouse. Not a track identification. Gray, crested, with a black forehead and a pale belly.
White-breasted nuthatch field marks
- No useful ground track
- Walks headfirst down a trunk
- White face and breast, gray back, black cap
- Long bill
Where the sign shows up
Mature trees and feeders across most of the Lower 48 and southern Canada. Typical places: yard, woods. Year-round in much of the range. Some move south for winter.
The sign is the behavior on the trunk, not a footprint. Tiny droppings under a feeder, not distinctive.
Common questions
How do you tell a nuthatch from a chickadee?
A nuthatch has no black bib and walks headfirst down the bark. A chickadee has a black bib and hops.