Nuthatch Sitta europaea   [Linnaeus, 1758]

Other Names Trends & Distribution Breeding & Survival Biometrics Books & Links

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Order: Passeriformes Family: Sittidae
BTO Codes: NH, NUTHA EURING No: 14790
Number in Britain: 144 thousand territories (Summer)
Conservation Status:
UK: GREEN
European: Not a species of concern
Global: Least Concern ( Details )
Links to: Images   Videos   Sound  
Status in UK: (A)  Resident Breeder
Subspecies: caesia recorded in Britain (of 16 subsp. in the world)
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Length: 14 cm Wingspan: 24 cm Weight: M/F: 24 g    
Scientific name from: Gr.: sitte=a nuthatch and after Europe
World Distribution: Europe, Asia
Habitat: Forest, woodland, towns
Diet: Invertebrates, winter, also seeds, feeds on trunk and branches but also on ground

Population and Distribution

Population Trend: Wider Countryside Report
Regional Trends: Wales   England   English Regions
Distribution: Atlas Maps    (Local Atlases)    BBS Maps
British Population Size:
    Summer: 144 thousand territories in 2000
    First Record: 15th Century [Fossil evidence from Middle Pleistocene, c. 500,000 yr ago]
    Conservation Status: GREEN
   Previous Assessments: 2002-2007 GREEN     1996-2001 GREEN  
   Races of Concern: caesia GREEN
Habitat Occupancy (in the Breeding Season):
    Most frequent in: Deciduous Wood
Relative Frequency in Each Habitat:
European Population Size:
    Summer: 6.5 to 14 million pairs   (Trend in Numbers)
Population Assesment from Birds in Europe
Distribution in Europe
Listed on the Appendices/Schedules of: Bern(III)
Survey Results: BirdTrack
Garden BirdWatch

Breeding and Survival

Egg Size: 20 x 15 mm Egg Weight: 2.3 g (of which 6 % is shell)
Number of Nest Records: 137   (more would be welcome!)
Clutch Size: 6 - 8 eggs 6.66 ± 1.30 (2 - 10) N = 823
Incubation: 16- 17 days 15.85 ± 1.54 (13 - 18.5) N = 823   by the: Female
Fledging: 24 - 25days 24.07 ± 1.13 (22 - 25.5) N = 1811 as: Altricial, downy
Source:
British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Nest Record Scheme data
First Clutches Laid: 23 Apr (10 Apr - 6 May)
Number of Broods: 1(2)
Trends in Breeding Productivity
Number Ringed: 1442 (Annual Totals)
Adult Survival: 0.510    (M:0.550 ; F:0.470 )      
Juvenile Survival: No data
Age at First Breeding: 1 year Typical Lifespan: 2 years
Maximum Recorded Age: 11 years 9 months 10 days (set in 1997)
Summary of Ringing Recoveries       

Biometrics

Ring Size: B
Wing Length Adult: 84.1 ± 2.2 Range 81 - 88 mm, N =1283
Juvenile: 84.2 ± 2.0 81 - 88 mm, N =352
Male: 85.2 ± 1.9 82 - 88 mm, N =617
Female: 82.9 ± 1.8 80 - 86 mm, N =628
Weight Adult: 22.11 ± 1.33 Range 20.00 - 24.40 g , N =1027
Juvenile: 21.64 ± 1.41 19.10 - 23.80 g , N =310
Male: 22.48 ± 1.25 20.50 - 24.60 g , N =505
Female: 21.74 ± 1.33 19.80 - 24.00 g , N =487
Source:
British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Ringing Scheme data

Other Names

Wood / Eurasian Nuthatch
Gaelic: Sgoltan Welsh: Delor y Cnau
Danish: Spętmejse Dutch: Boomklever
Finnish: Pähkinänakkeli French: Sittelle torchepot
German: Kleiber Hungarian: Csuszka
Icelandic: Hnotigša Irish:
Italian: Picchio muratore Norwegian: Spettmeis
Polish: Kowalik zwyczajny Portuguese: Trepadeira-azul
Spanish: Trepador comśn Swedish: Nötväcka

For More Information...

Books and Monographs:
   Matthysen, E. 1998 The nuthatches Poyser, London
See Also:
Find scientific papers on Google Scholar or Scirus by clicking the icon
Wikipedia entry
BirdLife species page
Recent sightings and information from BirdGuides
State of the Nations Birds by Chris Mead