The Eurasian nuthatch (Sitta europaea) is a small passerine bird found throughout temperate Asia and in Europe. There are more than 20 subspecies, but the precise number depends on how small differences between populations are evaluated. This article follows the 2013 Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive treatment, which has more recognised forms than the 1996 Tits, Nuthatches and Treecreepers. Given the similarities between geographical forms of the Eurasian nuthatch, subspecies boundaries are somewhat fluid, although fewer than half as many are recognised now as in 1967. [1]
The Eurasian nuthatch taxa can be divided into three main groups; the S. e. caesia group of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, the S. e. europaea group of Scandinavia, Russia, Japan and northern China and the S. e. sinensis group of southern and eastern China and Taiwan. These may have been geographically isolated from each other until relatively recently. Birds of intermediate appearance occur where the group ranges overlap. The descriptions below are of the male. The female is usually slightly duller with a brown tint to the eyestripe and paler underparts, although the sexes are very similar in the S. e. sinensis group. [2] [3]
The S. e. caesia group is found in much of Europe, as well as North Africa and the Middle East. Members of the subspecies group have buff breast and a white throat.
Subspecies | Authority | Range | Description |
---|---|---|---|
S. e. caesia | Wolf, 1810 [4] | Much of western Europe south to northern Spain, the Alps, Greece and western Turkey, north to Denmark, and east to the western regions of Poland, Romania and Bulgaria. | Upperparts blue grey, black eye-stripe, white throat. Rest of underparts orange-buff, becoming brick red at rear and on flanks. White markings on undertail. |
S. e. hispaniensis | Witherby, 1913 [5] | Central and southern Spain, Portugal and northern Morocco | Like S. e. caesia, but underparts paler pink-buff |
S. e. cisalpina | Sachtleben, 1919 [6] | Southernmost Switzerland, Italy including Sicily, southern Croatia and southwest Montenegro | Like S. e. caesia, but underparts brighter and more orange-tinted, bill shorter and more pointed |
S. e. levantina | Hartert, 1905 [7] | Southern Turkey | Like S. e. hispaniensis but underparts more pink and less buff, pale flanks, slightly paler grey upperparts |
S. e. persica | Witherby, 1903 [8] | Southeast Turkey, northern Iraq and western Iran | Small, paler grey upperparts, white forehead and supercilium, creamy underparts, bill short and thin |
S. e. caucasica | Reichenow, 1901 [9] | Northeast Turkey, southwest Russia, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan | Small, dark grey upperparts, forehead often whitish, underparts bright orange-buff |
S. e. rubiginosa | Tschusi & Zarudny, 1905 [10] | South Caucasus and northern Iran | Like S. e. caucasica but upperparts darker, underparts paler, usually lacks white forehead |
The S. e. europaea group is found in Scandinavia and Russia, through to Japan and northern China. Members of the group have a white breast.
Subspecies | Authority | Range | Description |
---|---|---|---|
S. e. europaea | Linnaeus, 1758 [11] | Southern Scandinavia and the Baltic islands, western Russia, eastern Poland, Romania and Bulgaria, northwest Turkey and Ukraine | The nominate subspecies. Upperparts blue-grey, black eye-stripe. Throat and underparts off-white or creamy, rusty red flanks and rear |
S. e. asiatica | Gould, 1837 [12] | Central Russia west to Lake Baikal, north Kazakhstan and west Mongolia | As nominate, but smaller. Shorter and more pointed bill, white forehead and supercilium |
S. e. arctica | Buturlin, 1907 [13] | Northeast Siberia. | Large with a narrower and shorter black eye-stripe than any other form, little white on the forehead or supercilium. Breast and centre of underparts white, flanks extensively chestnut |
S. e. baicalensis | Taczanowski, 1882 [14] | Siberia east from Lake Baikal, central Mongolia and northeast China | Larger than S. e. asiatica, with a longer bill and darker upperparts, little white on forehead and supercilium |
S. e. sakhalinensis | Buturlin, 1916 [15] | Sakhalin Island | Much smaller than S. e. baicalensis with slightly paler upperparts and a white forehead. Short bill |
S. e. clara | Stejneger, 1887 [16] | Southern Kurils and Hokkaido (Japan) | Larger than S. e. asiatica, relatively pale upperparts, paler more obvious white forehead and supercilium |
S. e. takatsukasai | Momiyama, 1931 [17] | Central Kuril Islands | Largest bill of all the subspecies. Pure white belly, greyer upperparts, upperparts similarly pale but not so bluish, strong white forehead and supercilium |
S. e. albifrons | Taczanowski, 1882 [14] | Northeast Russia and the northern Kuril Islands | Large with heavy bill, dark upperparts, buff tint to belly |
S. e. amurensis | R. Swinhoe, 1871 [18] | Russian Manchuria, Primorsky Krai (Russia), northeast China and Korea | Large with massive bill, upperparts darker than S. e. baicalensis, little white, if any, on white of forehead or supercilium |
S. e. hondoensis | Buturlin, 1916 [15] | Honshu, Shikoku and northern Kyushu (Japan) | Similar to S. e. amurensis, but upperparts slightly paler and bluer, prominent white forehead and supercilium, bill slightly smaller |
S. e. roseillia | Bonaparte, 1850 [19] | Southern Kyushu | Similar to S. e. amurensis, but upperparts darker, lower breast and belly more rufous-tinged |
S. e. bedfordi | Ogilvie-Grant, 1909 [20] | Cheju Island, South Korea | Similar to S. e. roseillia, but throat and breast whiter and belly darker orange-buff |
S. e. seorsa | Portenko, 1955 [21] | Northwest China | Like S. e. asiatica but slightly larger, white of forehead and supercilium more prominent and belly pale buff |
Subspecies in the S. e. sinensis group are found in south and east China, as well as Taiwan. They have a buff breast and throat.
Subspecies | Authority | Range | Description |
---|---|---|---|
S. e. sinensis | Verreaux, 1870 [22] | South and east China | Throat and underparts pale buff, brighter on sides, rear flanks brick-red |
S. e. formosana | Buturlin, 1911 [23] | Taiwan | Like S. e. sinensis but smaller with longer bill, pale upperparts and whitish forehead |
The nuthatches constitute a genus, Sitta, of small passerine birds belonging to the family Sittidae. Characterised by large heads, short tails, and powerful bills and feet, nuthatches advertise their territory using loud, simple songs. Most species exhibit grey or bluish upperparts and a black eye stripe.
The Eurasian nuthatch or wood nuthatch is a small passerine bird found throughout the Palearctic and in Europe. Like other nuthatches, it is a short-tailed bird with a long bill, blue-gray upperparts and a black eye-stripe. It is a vocal bird with a repeated loud dwip call. There are more than 20 subspecies in three main groups; birds in the west of the range have orange-buff underparts and a white throat, those in Russia have whitish underparts, and those in the east have a similar appearance to European birds, but lack the white throat.
The beautiful nuthatch is a bird species in the family Sittidae, collectively known as nuthatches. It is a large nuthatch, measuring 16.5 cm (6.5 in) in length, that is not sexually dimorphic. Its coloration and markings are dramatic, the upper parts being black and azure, streaked with white and pale blue on the head and lined with the same colors on the wing feathers. The underparts are orange, and the eyebrow and throat are ochre. An irregular, dark eyestripe highlights its eye. S. formosa's ecology is not fully described, but it is known to feed on small insects and larvae found on the trunks and epiphyte-covered branches of trees in its range. Reproduction takes place from April to May; the nest is placed in the hole of an oak, rhododendron, or other large tree. The nest is made of plant material and fur in which the bird typically lays four to six eggs.
The white-breasted nuthatch is a species of bird in the nuthatch family Sittidae. It is a medium-sized nuthatch, measuring approximately 15.5 cm (6.1 in) in length. Coloration varies somewhat along the species' range, but the upperparts are light blue-gray, with a black crown and nape in males, while females have a dark gray crown. The underparts are whitish, with a reddish tinge on the lower abdomen. Despite not being closely related, the white-breasted nuthatch and the white wagtail are very similar in plumage. The white-breasted nuthatch is a noisy bird. It has a nasal voice and often utters little cries or vocalizations, often composed of repetitions of small invariant whistles. In summer, it is an exclusively insectivorous bird, consuming a wide range of arthropods, but in winter its diet consists mainly of seeds. The nest is located in the cavity of a tree. The clutch consists of five to nine eggs, incubated for two weeks by the female, who is fed by the male. The two adults then feed the young until they fledge, and for a few weeks after that.
The red-breasted nuthatch is a small songbird. The adult has blue-grey upperparts with cinnamon underparts, a white throat and face with a black stripe through the eyes, a straight grey bill and a black crown. Its call, which has been likened to a tin trumpet, is high-pitched and nasal. It breeds in coniferous forests across Canada, Alaska and the northeastern and western United States. Though often a permanent resident, it regularly irrupts further south if its food supply fails. There are records of vagrants occurring as far south as the Gulf Coast and northern Mexico. It forages on the trunks and large branches of trees, often descending head first, sometimes catching insects in flight. It eats mainly insects and seeds, especially from conifers. It excavates its nest in dead wood, often close to the ground, smearing the entrance with pitch.
The Corsican nuthatch is a species of bird in the nuthatch family Sittidae. It is a relatively small nuthatch, measuring about 12 cm (4.7 in) in overall length. The upperparts are bluish-grey, the underparts greyish-white. The male is distinguished from the female by its entirely black crown. The species is sedentary, territorial and not very shy. It often feeds high in Corsican pines, consuming mainly pine seeds, but also catching some flying insects. The breeding season takes place between April and May; the nest is placed in the trunk of an old pine, and the clutch has five to six eggs. The young fledge 22 to 24 days after hatching.
The Algerian nuthatch or Kabyle nuthatch is a species of bird in the nuthatch family Sittidae. It is a medium-sized nuthatch, measuring between 11.5 cm (4.5 in) and 12.5 cm (4.9 in). The upperparts are bluish-grey. The male can be distinguished from the female by the black front of its crown. The species is sedentary; it feeds on arthropods in summer and on seeds in winter. The breeding season takes place around May–June. The nest, built in a hole of tree, shelters a laying of three or four eggs, brooded by the female. The chicks are fed by both parents.
The western rock nuthatch is a small passerine bird which breeds from Croatia east through Greece and Turkey to Iran. This nuthatch is largely resident apart from some post-breeding dispersal. The eastern rock nuthatch Sitta tephronota is a separate species, which occurs further east in south-central Asia.
The brown-headed nuthatch is a small songbird endemic to pine forests throughout the Southeastern United States. Genetic analyses indicated low differentiation between northern and southern populations in Florida, but the study also found lower genetic diversity among south Florida populations that may be a result of the increased habitat fragmentation that was documented. The Bahama nuthatch was formerly considered a subspecies (S. p. insularis), has since been reclassified as its own separate species. Two recent studies assessing vocalizations in Bahama and continental nuthatch populations found important differences. One of the studies also demonstrated that continental and Bahama populations did not respond aggressively to calls of the other population. This type of call-response study is often used to help define cryptic species.
Krüper's nuthatch is a species of bird in the nuthatch family Sittidae. It is a small to medium-sized nuthatch, measuring 12.5 centimetres (4.9 in) in length. The upperparts are blue-grey, with the front half of the crown black in adults of both sexes, but with a less marked in the female rear. The species has a black or grey eyestripe and a prominent white supercilium. The underparts are blue-grey in males and buff-grey in females, with a large, crescent-shaped rufous pectoral patch. It feeds on insects in the summer and seeds, especially pine seeds, in autumn and winter. Breeding takes place between March and May, and the nest is usually placed in a tree hole. The clutch consists of five to seven eggs, incubated by the female and fed by the male. Both parents take part in feeding the young.
The blue nuthatch is a bird species in the nuthatch family Sittidae. It is a medium-sized nuthatch, measuring 13.5 cm (5.3 in) in length. The species, which shows slight sexual dimorphism, has dramatic coloration unlike any other member of its genus. Its head is black or blackish-blue dark blue upperparts close to purple with azure feathers. The wings are edged with black. The throat and chest are white or a washed buff color, contrasting with the upperparts and the belly of a very dark blue; the covert feathers are generally clear, blue-gray or purplish.
The Kashmir nuthatch is a species of bird in the family Sittidae. It is found in the northernmost regions of the Indian subcontinent, primarily in the mid-altitudes of the Himalayas. The species ranges across Afghanistan, India, Nepal and Pakistan. The global population size has not been quantified, but the species is described as common in eastern Afghanistan and north-western India, and fairly common in Nepal.
The chestnut-vented nuthatch is a species of bird in the nuthatch family Sittidae. It is a medium-sized nuthatch, measuring 12.5–14 cm (4.9–5.5 in) in length. The upperparts are a solid grey-blue, with a markedly black loral stripe. The underparts are uniform grey to buff from the throat to belly, with brick red on the flanks. The undertail is white with a rufous border. The chestnut-vented nuthatch utters different kinds of calls, which can sometimes sound like a wren alarm, and its song is a monotonous, stereotypical crackle, typically chichichichi. Its ecology is poorly known, but it probably feeds on small arthropods and seeds, and the breeding season begins between March and May. The nest is typically located in a hole in the trunk of a tree, and the clutch has two to five eggs.
The white-browed nuthatch, also known as the Victoria nuthatch, is a species of bird in the family Sittidae. It is a small nuthatch, measuring 11.5 cm (4.5 in) in length and without sexual dimorphism. Like many other nuthatches, the upperparts are gray-blue, contrasting with white underparts on the throat, cheeks, and breast and orange on the flanks, belly, and lower abdomen. Its white supercilium makes it easy to distinguish it from the white-tailed nuthatch, which is a close species in the systematic and geographical sense. Little is known about its ecology, but it feeds on small insects found among bark and lichens, and breeding occurs around April.
The Chinese nuthatch or snowy-browed nuthatch is a species of bird in the family Sittidae. It is a small nuthatch, measuring 11.5 cm (4.5 in) in length. The upperparts are blue-gray and the underparts from a dull buff-grayish to a cinnamon-orange; the cheeks are white. There is a marked sexual dimorphism: the adult male is distinguished by its very black crown, while that of the female is the same blue-grey as the back, or at most dark gray when the plumage is worn. In both sexes, a dark gray eyestripe extends in front of and behind the eye, topped by a clear white supercilium separating it from the crown. The song is variable, and composed of repetitions of small invariant whistles. The species feeds mainly on insects in summer and completes its diet with seeds and fruits. The nest is generally placed in the hole of a conifer. The pairs raises one brood per year, with five or six chicks.
The Yunnan nuthatch is a bird species in the nuthatch family Sittidae. It was first described by William Robert Ogilvie-Grant in 1900 based on a male holotype. It is a small nuthatch, measuring 12 centimetres (4.7 in) in length on average and weighs between 7.5 and 13 grams. The grey-blue upperparts contrast with the light, smooth, buffy lowerparts. It has a fine white eyebrow above a black eyestripe, which is distinct when the plumage is fresh, and exhibits a small degree of sexual dimorphism. A noisy bird, it produces simple, nasal sounds, sometimes in repetitive series.
The Siberian nuthatch is a bird species of the family Sittidae. For a long time considered as a subspecies of the Eurasian nuthatch, it was clearly differentiated in 2006 on the basis of morphological and molecular characters. It is on average marginally larger than the Eurasian nuthatch, and also differs in some morphological features such as the shape of its bill, the size of its claws and the colour of its underwing and outer rectrices. Its song has also been described as "distinctly different" from that of the Eurasian nuthatch, though without further clarification.
Przevalski's nuthatch, originally given the nomen nudumSitta eckloni, is a bird species in the family Sittidae, collectively known as nuthatches. Long regarded as a subspecies of the white-cheeked nuthatch, it nevertheless differs significantly in morphology and vocalizations. Both S. przewalskii and S. leucopsis have been regarded as closely related to the North American white-breasted nuthatch. It is a medium-sized nuthatch, measuring about 13 cm (5 in) in length. Its upper body is a dark gray-blue or slate color, becoming dark blue-black at the crown. The cheeks and throat are a white buff-orange, turning to a rich cinnamon on the underparts that intensifies in color on the sides of the breast. Vocalizations consist of alternating series of ascending whistles and short notes.
The giant nuthatch is a species of bird in the family Sittidae. It is the largest of the nuthatches, measuring 19.5 cm (7.7 in) in length. Its upperparts are bluish gray, with the front being light gray, contrasting with the darker rest of the back. The bird has two very thick black eyebrow lines and light gray underparts, with whitish cheeks and throat, and a belly more or less washed with buff and cinnamon. For a nuthatch, it has a long beak and tail. The female can be distinguished from the male by its duller eye features and its upperparts having less contrast between the crown, nape, and lower back. The calls are powerful and made up of repetitions of simple patterns. The species gleans its food from the trunks and branches of trees, especially pines, and feeds on insects and berries. It nests around March, in the hole of a tree and without masking the entrance, and the nest has about three young.
The Aegean and Western Turkey sclerophyllous and mixed forests is an ecoregion in the lands around the Aegean Sea. The ecoregion covers most of mainland Greece, the Greek Aegean Islands, the western coast of Turkey, the southern Vardar river valley in North Macedonia, the southern Struma river valley at the extreme south-western corner of Bulgaria.