The Eurasian Nuthatch is a common forest and garden bird in Central Europe. It is instantly recognizable by its ability to climb head-first down tree trunks, a behavior very few bird species can perform.

EN: Eurasian Nuthatch
NL: Boomklever
DE: Kleiber
Scientific name: Sitta europaea

Identification

Size: 12–14.5 cm

Wingspan: 22–27 cm

Plumage:

Blue-grey back

Warm orange underside (more intense in some regions)

Strong black eye-stripe

White throat

Sex differences:

Female usually slightly paler underneath

Male more strongly orange, but this varies and is not always reliable

Habitat

Occurs in:

Mature deciduous and mixed forests

Old gardens with large trees

Parks and orchards

Woodland edges

Requires old trees with natural cavities for nesting.

Diet

Primary foods:

Insects, spiders, larvae

Beetles and other tree-dwelling invertebrates

Autumn and winter:

Seeds, nuts, acorns

Often visits feeders

Sunflower seeds and peanuts are preferred

Nuthatches wedge large seeds into bark crevices and hammer them open, similar to woodpeckers.

Behavior

Climbs up, down, and sideways along trunks

Stores food for winter in bark crevices

Loud, sharp calls; very vocal year-round

Strong territory holders; pairs remain together all year

Very bold at feeders and dominant over tits

Nuthatches do not flock; they stay as single pairs within a defined territory.

Winter Behavior

Active at feeders, especially during cold periods

Dominant and often chases away Great Tits or Blue Tits

Searches trees methodically for overwintering insects

Uses tree cavities or dense bark as night-roosts

Visits gardens more when natural food is scarce

Nesting and Breeding

Nesting season: April–June

Uses natural tree holes or woodpecker cavities

If entrance is too large, they plaster it smaller with mud

Nest material: bark flakes, wood chips, leaves

Clutch: 6–9 eggs

Incubation: ~14–18 days (female only)

Fledging: ~23–25 days

Both parents feed the young

The mud-lined entrance is a signature feature of the species.

Interaction With Gardens

Prefers gardens with tall, old trees

Very regular at feeders with sunflower seeds

Rarely uses nest boxes unless entrance is large enough and interior resembles a natural cavity

Sometimes narrows nest box holes with mud, making the entrance perfectly round and smaller

Ecological Role

Controls insect populations in trees

Helps disperse seeds by storing them

Creates secondary cavities through modification for other species to use

Indicator species for mature, healthy woodland