First Sighting of a Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) at My Feeder

Anchorage, Alaska, United States

Nearby

Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) are usually a common visitor to my bird feeder, however this is the first time one has been spotted at the feeder during the 2018-2019 winter.

Observation by Gillian Brubaker:

Generally I have nuthatches all winter at my feeder. But this is the first I have seen this winter. I am wondering if other people have noticed the same thing. Is this something at just my house, or the city, the region? I have seen chickadees and red polls (though fewer then usual) and lots of bohemian waxwings. But this is the first nuthatch. I wonder if the big flocks of invasive starlings are part of the reason.

Comment from Moses Tcheripanoff:

About a year ago in a post; I noticed a flock of starlings in the midtown area. Been keeping an eye on them. I'm wondering if it's the same flock. The flock seems to be stable in terms of there numbers.Haven't seen a flock in the Mat-Su Valley for 17 or more years. I don't make it to Palmer much, but seems like a perfect foraging area. I'm wondering if they're a permanent resident of the Anchorage bowl area?

Comments from LEO Editors:

According to Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) species profile, nuthatches feed on confer seeds during the winter, along with other seeds they may have stored earlier in the year. Although they are common visitors at birdfeeders, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game also notes that in years when cone productions are poor, nuthatches may move south in larger numbers than expected.

Pictured below are two images from the eBird Red-breasted Nuthatch sightings map. Nuthatch sightings reported to eBird did not seem to change substantially between January - March of 2019 as compared to January - March of 2018, although sightings may vary in more defined locations.

Invasive European Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) are also known to force other birds out of established nesting areas. For more information about the impact of the European starlings on local songbirds, see the attached article from Alaska Dispatch. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game lists the European Starling as a current resident bird species in Anchorage.Mike Brubaker, Erica Lujan