Sitta pygmaea
The Pygmy Nuthatch is one of the most energetic residents of the U.S. Rockies. It hops continuously up and down trunks and treetops, probing and calling incessantly. Its voice is quite unlike the nasal, rhythmic calls of the other nuthatches. Pygmy Nuthatches are quietly gregarious, always appearing in small flocks that increase in size during fall and winter. At night, Pygmy Nuthatches retreat to communal roosts in tree and building cavities. Up to 100 birds have been recorded snuggling together in a single roosting site. Pygmy Nuthatches are even sociable during the nesting season: a pair might have up to three 'helpers' looking after their nestlings. |
I.D.: Sexes similar: brown cap bordered by a black eye line; white cheek and throat; gray-blue back; short tail; pale underparts; straight bill. Size: L 41/4 in. (11 cm). Range: very common year-round in Rocky Mountain NP; locally common in Montana; rare year-round in the Canadian Rockies. Habitat: ponderosa pine and aspen forests in the montane. Nesting: often in an abandoned woodpecker cavity; occasionally excavates its own nest site; lines the nest with soft plant material, wood chips, fur and feathers; female incubates 6-8 eggs for 15-16 days. Feeding: forages up and down trunks and outer limbs for adult and larval invertebrates; also eats pine seeds. Voice: high-pitched te-dee te-dee, unlike the other nuthatches. Similar Species: White-breasted Nuthatch: larger; black crown; red undertail coverts. Red-breasted Nuthatch: black eye line; reddish underparts. Boreal Chickadee: black bib. |
