This cache is part of the “Wild Birds of PA Series”. In this series of caches you will learn information about the bird that the cache is named after.
This cache is placed on PA State Gamelands. Outer perimeter of State game lands are marked with white dots on the trees, please be mindful to property boundaries. Please wear orange during hunting season & check yourself for ticks. Do not attempt to access any of the caches from Interstate 80. The names of the caches in this series may or may not describe or give any hints to the cache itself. This “Wild Birds of PA Series” will feature birds that you may see while out collecting smileys, not only in SGL 077 but anywhere in the state of Pennsylvania. We hope you enjoy and have fun exploring the area. Watch for new caches in the future as we will be adding them to this series. BYOP & CITO where you can and replace the cache exactly as you found it for others to enjoy.
White-breasted Nuthatch
General Description
The largest of the three species of nuthatch is the White-breasted Nuthatch has a bright white breast and face. The white on the face extends above the eyes. Its upperparts are slate-gray, with streaks of black in the wings. Males have black caps, which extend to their necks and partially around the neck like a collar. Females' caps are similar, but gray. Both sexes are chestnut-colored under their short tails. In flight, white can be seen on either side of the tail. Like nuthatches, the White-breasted has strong legs and toes, long, curved talons, and a long, strong bill.
Habitat
White-breasted Nuthatches are found in deciduous forests across much of their range. They are not as restricted to Ponderosa pine as the Pygmy Nuthatch, and will use Douglas fir and black cottonwood stands also.
Behavior
Like other nuthatches, the White-breasted uses its strong legs and claws to walk up, down, and sideways on tree trunks, probing in the bark crevices for food. They readily come to seed and suet feeders and cache food in crevices to return to later. White-breasted Nuthatches respond readily to imitated Pygmy-Owl calls.
Diet
Insects and spiders are the main food in the summer. During winter, White-breasted Nuthatches eat many insects that they pry from their wintering spots in bark crevices, but they also eat many seeds. In developed areas they have learned to eat suet and peanut butter mixes as well.
Nesting
Pairs form long-term bonds and remain on nesting territories year round. White-breasted Nuthatches do not generally excavate their own holes, but nest in a natural cavity or old woodpecker hole. They may occasionally use artificial nest boxes. The female builds the nest, which is a soft cup of bark fibers, grass, hair, and feathers. Sometimes mud is added to the entrance of the cavity, perhaps to keep larger predators away. They will also brush the nest, inside and out, with a crushed insect, perhaps coating the nest with chemical secretions that may keep predators away. The female incubates 5 to 9 eggs for 12 to 14 days. The male feeds the female while she incubates and helps her feed the young once they hatch. The young leave the nest at 14 to 26 days, but stay with the adults for several more weeks until they become completely independent.