I remember back in 1989 dashing down to Holkham in Norfolk to see a Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) that had appeared on the wrong side of the Atlantic. It is still the sole British record and created controversy because they are only short-distance migrants, not usually straying south beyond the United States. They are quite common in North America and I have seen many in the years since the British individual. They are called "red-breasted" to distinguish them from the widespread North American White-breasted Nuthatch (S.carolinensis), but in Britain all Nuthatches have breasts this colour. Red-breasted differs mostly from Eurasian Nuthatch by its small size and humbug head pattern. European Nuthatches are 14cm long and usually weigh about 23g. Red-breasted Nuthatches are 11cm long, but weigh a minuscule 10g.
I took this photograph at the George C Reifel reserve near Vancouver and I was pleased because it shows the classic Nuthatch position of facing down the trunk. I think Nuthatches are the only birds that habitually move down the trunk while facing downwards. All other tree trunk birds like Treecreepers and Woodpeckers face upwards.
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