A blue-black back, rusty underparts, and a white eyebrow stripe distinguish this nuthatch. It is most often found searching upside down for insects on the trunk or branches of conifers. Nuthatches create a small nest cavity, usually in rotten wood, and then apply a thin layer of pitch to the lower edges. Nuthatches can often be heard rather than seen; their "crank, crank, crank" sound carries for long distances.
The Mountain Chickadee is a small sprightly bird with black head and chin, white cheeks and thin white eyestripe. It is a year-round resident of BC grasslands. Chickadees glean for insects and also eat seeds. Mountain Chickadees will scrape out their own nest cavity, but they often use old cavities or even nest boxes. Nests are made from hair, mosses, grasses and feathers, and up to seven young are raised. Males spend most of their time gathering insects to feed the young, while females tend the nest.
Want to find out about species at risk in closed conifer patch?Go to Species at Risk
Here are some other representative species in closed conifer patches:
Barred OwlCommon FlickerDusky FlycatcherPileated WoodpeckerRed-breasted SapsuckerSolitary VireoWestern Tanager
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