By Jim Acquire
Study 100 Frequent Valley Birds is a photograph weblog sequence highlighting the 100 commonest Valley chicken species.
Put up #24 within the Study 100 Frequent Valley Birds sequence. (Species 38/100 + 2 BONUS birds)
White-breasted Nuthatch – Species #38
The White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) is a small songbird with a particular black, grey and white coloration; a blue-gray again, and a white face and stomach. The men and women are related in look and could be troublesome to differentiate with out shut statement. The chicken’s invoice is comparatively lengthy and straight, which helps it probe for bugs and different small prey in tree bark.
Within the Central Valley of California, the White-breasted Nuthatch could be discovered year-round in oak woodlands and mixed-conifer forests. It’s a non-migratory species, so people don’t usually depart their vary through the winter months. The birds are identified for his or her acrobatic foraging conduct, typically creeping upside-down or sideways alongside tree trunks and branches searching for meals.
They primarily feed on bugs and seeds, however can even benefit from suet and different yard chicken feeders when out there. The White-breasted Nuthatch is a cavity-nesting species and can excavate its personal nest in lifeless or decaying timber.
BONUS BIRDS – The next two chicken species share very related conduct traits because the White-breasted Nuthatch however are Unusual in incidence and due to this fact not official members of the 100 Frequent Species membership.
Purple-breasted Nuthatch – Species #38b
The Purple-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) is a small chicken with a particular look and conduct that may be noticed within the Central Valley of California. They’re roughly 4 and a half inches lengthy with a blue-gray again, a white face, and a rusty purple breast. They’ve a brief, straight beak that’s excellent for extracting bugs from tree bark, which is one among their main meals sources. These birds even have a behavior of clinging the other way up on tree trunks, utilizing their sharp claws to help themselves as they seek for meals.
By way of pure historical past, the Purple-breasted Nuthatch is a year-round unusual resident of the Central Valley, though they’re extra typically seen through the winter months. They have a tendency to nest in tree cavities, the place they lay their eggs in a mattress of bark, moss, and different gentle supplies. These birds are additionally identified for his or her vocalizations, which embody a particular yank-yank name that may be heard echoing by means of the timber. Total, the Purple-breasted Nuthatch is an enthralling and fascinating chicken that provides colour and character to the Central Valley’s pure surroundings.
Brown Creeper – Species #38C
The Brown Creeper (Certhia americana) is a small, slender chicken discovered within the forests of North America. Within the Central Valley of California, Brown Creepers are usually present in mature deciduous and mixed-coniferous forests, in addition to in riparian woodlands. These birds are simply recognized by their mottled brown plumage, which blends in completely with tree bark, permitting them to stay hid whereas foraging.
Brown Creepers are insectivores and primarily feed on small bugs and spiders discovered on tree trunks and branches. They use their lengthy, curved payments to probe crevices and underneath free bark for prey. Brown Creepers additionally use their stiff, pointed tail feathers to assist them climb timber in a spiral movement, very similar to a woodpecker.
Earlier posts from the Study 100 Frequent Valley Birds sequence:
