White-breasted Nuthatch flits to the redbud and hitches jerkily downward, head first. He moves as if gravity had no effect on him. That’s his trademark walk.
It's been snowing, and it’s going to snow more. My jacket isn't warm enough. I'm starting to shiver.
How is it possible to live in such cold? He has many small, downy, inner feathers that he can fluff up. Still, his entire body isn't as wide as the thickness of my padded coat. And I’m freezing.
I refill the red ball feeder with sunflower seeds and go back in the house. Rubbing my hands together, I watch from the warm side of my window.
He was waiting for those seeds. One swoop, and he lands on the feeder. He picks out a seed and carries it back to the tree. He lodges it into a crevice in the bark so he can hammer it into smaller pieces with his beak.
Nuthatch. Hatch means hack, as in hatchet. One who hacks nuts.
A female nuthatch comes into view. The male’s head is shiny black on top. A female’s crown is grey.
White-breasted Nuthatches do not migrate but remain in Iowa year around. A bonded pair, they will stay together. There are no records of a pair of White-breasted Nuthatches splitting up, ever.
They are joint owners, and together they defend their property.
Another nuthatch lands in their redbud tree. Instantly the pair rushes along the branches toward the intruder. The male raises his neck and back feathers into a sort of ruff. He stretches out his wings, making himself look bigger. He spreads wide his short, black-and-white tail, suddenly revealing diagonal black-and-white bands. Like a battle flag.
The intruder departs in haste. The land owners have prevailed. Territory is food, and food is life.
A nuthatch is a ball of metabolic fire, with a resting pulse of 400 heartbeats a minute.
The male discovers a peanut. He picks it up, crams it in a crevice, and strikes it six times with his beak. He lifts his head and swallows. Snowflakes blow past him.
I sense his satisfaction. The seed will fuel the fire that warms the nuthatch. Already that tiny flame is warming me.
Hear the sound of a White-breasted Nuthatch in my backyard…
Such a lovely post. 400bpm -- wow!! Thank you.
Delightful !! I have a pair who have been visiting my open bird feeder for three years now. They are very friendly, and don’t mind if I stand close by to appreciate their beauty.