White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)

The White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) is a small, agile bird renowned for its distinctive ability to descend tree trunks headfirst, a skill that sets it apart from many other bird species. Found commonly across North America, this bird is slightly larger and more prevalent than its close relative, the Red-breasted Nuthatch, and is easily recognizable by its striking white belly and black cap.

🇫🇷	Sittelle à poitrine blanche
🇩🇪	Carolinakleiber
🇲🇽	Trepador pechiblanco

Taxonomy

Order	Passeriformes
Family	Sittidae

Tips for Identifying This Species

The belly of this Nuthatch species is completely white, unlike the Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis). The second distinguishing feature is the black stripe that runs from the beak over the head to the neck. Unlike woodpeckers, this bird can walk headfirst down tree trunks and along the undersides of branches.

Notes about Whereabouts

This species is quite common and can be observed year-round in parks throughout Montreal.

Observations by Park and Season

Location	Spring	Summer	Autumn	Winter
Boisé Des Douze	x	-	-	-
Jardin Botanique de Montréal	x	-	-	x
Parc Angrignon	x	x	x	x
Parc Bernard-Landry	x	-	x	-
Parc Michel-Chartrand	x	-	x	x
Parc Nature Pointe aux Prairies	x	-	-	x
Parc de la Frayère	x	-	x	-

"x" indicates the species was observed, while "-" indicates no observation. Lack of observation doesn't necessarily imply that the species is absent. Data is derived from our park visit journals.