Hi all,
I have Red-breasted nuthatches in my yd. most of the year. A pair used one of
my nestboxes about 9 years ago for the first time. Ah Ha! A pair has nested in
my box this year. It was a bit scary when the House Wren started to approach
this box, but opening the box today showed 5, tiny little chicks.
This is a first confirmation for the priority nesting block, [ Fort Logan]. My
yd. is in this block, and that always helps.
Years ago, and this second nesting, I smeared pine sap around the entrance
hole, like the bird nesting books mention. These Nuthatches actually put ALOT
more sap below, around and in the rim of the nesting hole. The added sap is
almost dripping off the front side of the nesting box, and some of it is very
FRESH and liquid like.
Presumably the smeared pitch or sap may be some sort of predator control. The
pitch also can help in preventing insects from entering the hole. The
Nuthatches continue to put sap around the hole during the nesting period. When
watching Red-breasted Nuthatches come to the nesting box in my yd. and to their
nesting holes in the mountains, the bird flys straight into the entrance hole.
I have not seen a parent bird in the wild, or in my yd., perch at the nesting
hole [I can see why these birds fly straight into the nesting hole, so that
they don't get gobs of sap on their feathers]. Although, I have read that some
nesting Red-breasted Nuthatches have gotten stuck and died in the applied sap
which is at the nesting hole entrance.
Three weeks ago I watched one of the Nuthatches take outter bark off of a
Juniper shrub and then fly off with it in the direction towards where my
nesting box is. When I looked in the nesting box today I could see shredded
bark and dead grasses. Many of the bird nesting books say Red-breasted Nuthatch
rarely use nesting boxes. The books also say the entrance hole slants about 3-4
inches, then goes straight down.
Happy Birding!
Tina Jones
Littleton, Jefferson County, CO
I'm one block away from denver county
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