Red-breasted Nuthatchs in Ontario
When red-breasted nuthatches are present in Ontario, when they nest, which native Ontario plants feed them, and how to host them in a Canadian zones 0a–7a yard.
- Status in Ontario
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- June
- Broods
- 1 per season
- Hardiness zones
- Canadian zones 0a–7a (southern Ontario roughly equivalent to USDA 4–6)
- Nest box
- 1 1/4 in hole, 4 × 4 in floor, 5–15 ft
When to expect red-breasted nuthatches in Ontario
Red-breasted Nuthatchs live in Ontario all year. Cold, snowy winters; feeder flocks are dominated by chickadees, nuthatches, woodpeckers and finches. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward spruce, fir and pine seeds.
Humid continental in the south, boreal and subarctic in the north; most backyard birding happens in the southern Great Lakes lowlands.
Nesting in Ontario
Across Ontario, red-breasted nuthatches typically nest from June. Nest site: excavated cavity in soft dead conifers or aspens; uses boxes. Females lay 5–8 eggs, incubate for 12–13 days, and young leave the nest after 18–21 days.
Short, warm summers; Point Pelee and Long Point are continent-famous migration sites.
- Have boxes cleaned and mounted before May — red-breasted nuthatches begin prospecting ahead of egg-laying.
- Use a 1 1/4 in entrance on a 4 × 4 in floor, mounted 5–15 ft.
- Fit a pole baffle or hole guard; ventilation gaps and drainage holes are essential.
- Clean out old nests after each brood and again after June.
Native Ontario plants that attract red-breasted nuthatches
Of the regional native plants we track for Ontario, these 8 provide food or cover red-breasted nuthatches use:
Insects, seeds and cavities.
Fat-rich red fall fruit taken by thrushes, bluebirds and woodpeckers.
Dense evergreen roost cover and bluish 'berries' eaten through winter.
Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed.
Acorns plus hundreds of caterpillar species for nestling food.
Drought-hardy prairie oak with large acorns and a heavy insect load.
Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees.
Late-summer berry clusters taken by over 40 bird species.
Feeding red-breasted nuthatches through the Ontario year
Irrupts south in poor cone years; smears sap around its nest hole to deter predators.
- Best foods: Black-oil sunflower, Suet, Peanut hearts.
- In Ontario's winter: Cold, snowy winters; feeder flocks are dominated by chickadees, nuthatches, woodpeckers and finches.
Full diet breakdown for red-breasted nuthatches · Best feeder for red-breasted nuthatches
Frequently asked
Are red-breasted nuthatches in Ontario year-round?
Yes. Red-breasted Nuthatchs are year-round residents in Ontario.
When do red-breasted nuthatches nest in Ontario?
Nesting in Ontario typically runs June, with 1 per season. Clutches are 5–8 eggs, incubated for 12–13 days.
What native plants attract red-breasted nuthatches in Ontario?
Sugar maple, Flowering dogwood, Eastern red cedar, Serviceberry, White oak, Bur oak, Black cherry, American elderberry are native plants in Ontario that provide food or cover for red-breasted nuthatches.
What size birdhouse hole do red-breasted nuthatches need?
1 1/4 in, with a floor of 4 × 4 in mounted 5–15 ft.
Red-breasted Nuthatchs in other regions
Other backyard birds in Ontario
Sources
- Red-breasted Nuthatch — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Red-breasted Nuthatch life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Red-breasted Nuthatch — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- NestWatch nest box plans and species requirements — Cornell Lab
- eBird region overview and bar charts — Ontario
- Plant Hardiness Zones of Canada — Natural Resources Canada
- Audubon Native Plants Database
- Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas — Birds Canada
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.