Nuthatches
Hopping headfirst down a tree isn’t just nutty behavior—nuthatches are searching crevices for ants, scale, beetles, moth eggs, caterpillars, and cocoons. Nuthatches feed on seeds and nuts (hence their name) during the cold months, but in summer they’re 100 percent insectivorous. They raise their young exclusively on insects. Three different species of nuthatches are found in various regions of North America.
Also woodland natives, nuthatches are more likely to settle into nesting boxes that are located in clearings in or along the edges of wooded areas. Fill the boxes with wood chips; cover the boxes with strips of bark to make them even more attractive to the birds.
Photo: (cc) Matt MacGillivray/Flickr
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