Painted

1912

Published

1929

Volume

12

Plate

727c-727d

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Rocky Mountain Nuthatch

Sitta carolinensis nelsoni

DESCRIPTION

The tender deference of the male to his mate and the harmony that exists between them, more noticeable in winter than when the nuptial ecstasies are in full swing, wins the admiration of those who still believe in the virtue of fidelity amid the present uproar of divorce and sex hilarity.

Two birds will search for food, apparently indifferent to each other's presence, when one drags a fat cocoon from its cache and gives it a vigorous thrashing against a limb. In this strenuous performance the bird exerts itself tremendously, raising its body by momentarily uplifted wings at each stroke. The fortunate discoverer seems quite absorbed in the macerating struggle, yet if the mate is not in sight, the intent bird will stop and call musically and cherrily, — here-here-here-here-here, until they are together; meeting with tremulous wing spreadings.

When nesting time approaches both are aware that sounding their little trumpets would betray the home location, yet when incubation starts the male seems to forget this caution. His call resounds loudly even when far from home. At this home life period both Nuthatches are as unsophisticated as a human couple; betraying their mutual tenderness by calls, wheedlings and caresses. Among the untranslatable cries of both sexes is a curious, soft, long drawn "tay-turt" repeated four times by the male and so closely resembling a call of the Pinyon Jay that one could easily believe it an imitation.

The material surrounding the eggs is a strange conglomerate, mainly disintegrated pellets ejected by birds of prey or voided by coyotes, and is added at irregular intervals after the home site has been selected. The female is the home enlarger and brings additional material as late as mid incubation time. When she comes out to accept a food dainty from her mate she takes a little "look around," ruffling feathers and twisting tail rectices and uttering ventriloquial evidences of satisfaction. She will suddenly return to her precious eggs from her straying, bearing a wad of pellet hair so big that she drops it outside the door! Normally the female is a close sitter tho sometimes she will leave the nest while the intruder is far away and will continue wild even after her mate has shown his contempt for mere man by entering the home under his nose.

While striving to reach the nest of Whitethroated Swifts in a forty foot cliff I discovered a pair of Nuthatches feeding young in a dead cedar. The parents seemed more curious than resentful of my presence, even when I climbed the sacred tree. At five minute intervals they came with food and it was amusing to watch their stealthy approach to the cavity. They would pitch their courage to the entering point; actually put head and neck into the hollow and then execute a rightabout in an eye twinkle. This might happen a dozen times before the performer completed the act!

They share the trait of curiosity with their eastern relatives and one sunny winter day in Wyoming I found a medley of Crossbills, Chickadees and Juncos mobbing a Rocky Mountain Screech Owl while a pair of Nuthatches joined in the outcries discreetly from the ground. —Peabody.

BREEDING

RANGE

Interior of North America. Breeds mainly in Transition zone from southern British Columbia, central Alberta and western Manitoba south to Mexico and from eastern Cascades east across Rocky Mountains.

San Lucas Nuthatch

Sitta carolinensis lagunae

DESCRIPTION

BREEDING

Both above subspecies similar to Whitebreasted Nuthatch.

RANGE

Breeds in Transition zone of Lower California, Cape region.

Live Oak

Quercus agrifolia

DESCRIPTION

A tree 80 to 90 feet high, whose great limbs often rest on the ground. Distributed in Lower California. Largest size found in the valleys south of San Francisco Bay.

rocky-mountain-nuthatch-san-lucas-nuthatch
cactus-wren-bryant-cactus-wren-san-lucas-cactus-wren
Cactus Wren, Bryant Cactus Wren, San Lucas Cactus Wren
713-713a-713b
rock-wren-san-nicolas-rock-wren-guadalupe-rock-wren
Rock Wren, San Nicolas Rock Wren, Guadalupe Rock Wren
715-715a-715b
white-throated-wren-canyon-wren-dotted-canyon-wren
White-Throated Wren, Canyon Wren, Dotted Canyon Wren
717-717a-717b
carolina-wren-florida-wren-lomita-wren
Carolina Wren, Florida Wren, Lomita Wren
718-718a-718b
bewick-wren-vigor-wren-baird-wren
Bewick Wren, Vigor Wren, Baird Wren
719-719a-719b
san-clemente-wren-guadalupe-wren
San Clemente Wren, Guadalupe Wren
719.1-720
texas-wren-san-diego-wren-seattle-wren
Texas Wren, San Diego Wren, Seattle Wren
719c-719d-719e
house-wren-western-house-wren
House Wren, Western House Wren
721-721a
winter-wren-western-winter-wren-kadiak-winter-wren
Winter Wren, Western Winter Wren, Kadiak Winter Wren
722-722a-722b
alaska-wren-aleutain-wren
Alaska Wren, Aleutian Wren
723-723.1
short-billed-marsh-wren
Short-Billed Marsh Wren
724
long-billed-marsh-wren-tule-wren
Long-Billed Marsh Wren, Tule Wren
725-725a
worthington-marsh-wren-western-marsh-wren-prairie-marsh-wren-marian-marsh-wren
Worthington Marsh Wren, Western Marsh Wren, Prairie Marsh Wren, Marian Marsh Wren
725b-725c-725d-725e
brown-creeper-mexican-creeper
Brown Creeper, Mexican Creeper
726-726a
rocky-mountain-creeper-california-creepeer-sierra-creeper
Rocky Mountain Creeper, California Creeper, Sierra Creeper
726b-726c-726d
white-breasted-nuthatch-slender-billed-nuthatch-florida-white-breasted-nuthatch
White-Breasted Nuthatch, Slender-Billed Nuthatch, Florida White-Breasted Nuthatch
727-727a-727b
rocky-mountain-nuthatch-san-lucas-nuthatch
Rocky Mountain Nuthatch, San Lucas Nuthatch
727c-727d
red-breasted-nuthatch
Red-Breasted Nuthatch
728
brown-headed-nuthatch
Brown-Headed Nuthatch
729
pygmy-nuthatch-white-naped-nuthatch
Pygmy Nuthatch, White-Naped Nuthatch
730-730a
tufted-titmouse
Tufted Titmouse
731
black-crested-titmouse-sennett-titmouse
Black-Crested Titmouse, Sennett Titmouse
732-732a
plain-titmouse-gray-titmouse-ashy-titmouse
Plain Titmouse, Gray Titmouse, Ashy Titmouse
733-733a-733b
bridled-titmouse
Bridled Titmouse
734
chickadee-long-tailed-chickadee
Chickadee, Long-Tailed Chickadee
735-735a
oregon-chickadee-yukon-chickadee
Oregon Chickadee, Yukon Chickadee
735b-735c
carolina-chickadee-plumbeous-chickadee-florida-chickadee
Carolina Chickadee, Plumbeous Chickadee, Florida Chickadee
736-736a-736b
mexican-chickadee
Mexican Chickadee
737
mountain-chickadee-bailey-mountain-chickadee
Mountain Chickadee, Bailey Mountain Chickadee
738-738a
alaska-chickadee
Alaska Chickadee
739
hudsonian-chickadee-acadian-chickadee
Hudsonian Chickadee, Acadian Chickadee
740-740a
chestnut-backed-chickadee-california-chickadee-barlow-chickadee
Chestnut-Backed Chickadee, California Chickadee, Barlow Chickadee
741-741a-741b
bushtit-california-bushtit-grinda-bushtit
Bushtit, California Bushtit, Grinda Bushtit
743-743a-743b
lead-colored-bushtit-lloyds-bushtit
Lead Colored Bushtit, Lloyd Bushtit
744–745
verdin-cape-verdin
Verdin, Cape Verdin
746-746a
wrentit-pallid-wrentit
Wrentit, Pallid Wrentit
747-747a
coast-wrentit-ruddy-wrentit
Coast Wrentit, Ruddy Wrentit
747b-747c
golden-crowned-kinglet
Golden-Crowned Kinglet
748
western-goden-crowned-kinglet
Western Golden-Crowned Kinglet
748a
ruby-crowned-kinglet
Ruby-Crowned Kinglet
749
sitka-kinglet
Sitka Ruby-Crowned Kinglet
749a
dusky-kinglet
Dusky Ruby-Crowned Kinglet
749b
blue-gray-gnatcatcher-western-gnatcatcher
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Western Gnatcatcher
751-751a
plumbeous-gnatcatcher-black-tailed-gnatcatcher
Plumbeous Gnatcatcher, Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher
752-753
townsends-solitaire
Townsend’s Solitaire
754
wood-thrush
Wood Thrush
755
veery
Veery
756
willow-thrush
Willow Thrush
756a
gray-cheeked-thrush-bicknells-thrush
Gray-Cheeked Thrush, Bicknell’s Thrush
757-757a
russet-backed-thrush
Russet-Backed Thrush
758
olive-backed-thrush
Olive-Backed Thrush
758a
alaska-hermit-thrush
Alaska Hermit Thrush
759
audubons-hermit-thrush
Audubon’s Hermit Thrush
759a
hermit-thrush
Hermit Thrush
759b
dwarf-hermit-thrush-monterey-hermit-thrush-sierra-hermit-thrush
Dwarf Hermit Thrush, Monterey Hermit Thrush, Sierra Hermit Thrush
759c-759d-759e
robin
Robin
761
western-robin-southern-robin
Western Robin, Southern Robin
761a-761b
san-lucas-robin
San Lucas Robin
762
varied-thrush
Varied Thrush
763
northern-varied-thrush
Northern Varied Thrush
763a
wheatear-greenland-wheatear
Wheatear, Greenland Wheatear
765-765a
bluebird
Bluebird
766
azure-bluebird
Azure Bluebird
766a
western-bluebird
Western Bluebird
767
chestnut-backed-bluebird
Chestnut-Backed Bluebird
767a
san-pedro-bluebird
San Pedro Bluebird
767b
mountain-bluebird
Mountain Bluebird
768

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