White-breasted Nuthatch
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Jerry Poindexter is a judge and the author of Songbirds I and II (measured drawings, containing 50 patterns). You can reach Jerry via e-mail at icarve@cet.com.
The white-breasted nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) is the largest of the nuthatches, and there are three populations—the Pacific, Western interior, and Eastern. They differ in voice, plumage, and shape. The white-breasted nuthatch measures from 4 ¾ to 6 inches in length. The Eastern, the largest of the three, has the thickest bill and palest gray back with sharply contrasting black marks on the tertials and coverts. The Pacific and Western interior birds have thinner bills and darker gray backs with less contrasting dark marks on the tertials and coverts. A darker back and flanks differentiates the Western interior bird from the Pacific.
This article is from the Fall 2016 issue. For more information on our issues, check out our issues page.
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