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Nuthatch

Nuthatches
Western Rock Nuthatch
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Sittidae
Genus:Sitta
Species
S. europaea
S. nagaensis
S. cashmirensis
S. castanea
S. himalayensis
S. victoriae
S. pygmaea
S. pusilla
S. whiteheadi
S. ledanti
S. krueperi
S. villosa
S. yunnanensis
S. canadensis
S. leucopsis
S. carolinensis
S. neumayer
S. tephronota
S. frontalis
S. solangiae
S. oenochlamys
S. azurea
S. magna
S. formosa

The Nuthatches are a group of generally very similar small passerines found throughout the Northern hemisphere.

The nuthatch family Sittidae contains 23 species of bird. The subfamily Sittinae contains the 22 species of “True” Nuthatches, and the subfamily Tichodromadinae contains a single species, the unique Wallcreeper Tichodroma muraria, which is sometimes separted as a separate family Tichodromadidae.

Most nuthatches are woodland birds, although a few species have adapted to rocky habitats. They have the unusual ability to climb down trees, unlike species such as woodpeckers which can only go upwards.

Nuthatches have big heads, short tails and powerful bills and feet. Their shape is distinctive, and all species are recognizable as nuthatches if one has been seen.

They are generally omnivorous, taking insects, nuts and seeds. Most are resident, but Red-breasted nuthatch migrates from the north of its range.

Nests are in holes or crevices. In some species the size of the hole is reduced by the building of a mud wall.

This group gets its name from the habit of the Eurasian nuthatch of wedging a nut in a crevice in a tree, and then hacking at it with its strong bill.

The list of species below is probably the maximum. Some taxonomists consider that some of the indicated species are in fact conspecific.



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