Perch Supply
Vermont · Year-round resident

Red-breasted Nuthatchs in Vermont

When red-breasted nuthatches are present in Vermont, when they nest, which native Vermont plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 3b–5b yard.

Nuthatches (Sittidae)Red-breasted NuthatchSitta canadensis
Status in Vermont
Year-round resident
Nesting window
June
Broods
1 per season
Hardiness zones
USDA 3b–5b
Nest box
1 1/4 in hole, 4 × 4 in floor, 5–15 ft

When to expect red-breasted nuthatches in Vermont

Red-breasted Nuthatchs live in Vermont all year. Long, snowy winters. 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, with the Green Mountains and the Champlain Valley.

Nesting in Vermont

Across Vermont, 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, mild summers.

  • 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 Vermont plants that attract red-breasted nuthatches

Of the regional native plants we track for Vermont, these 8 provide food or cover red-breasted nuthatches use:

Eastern red cedar
Juniperus virginiana · Tree

Dense evergreen roost cover and bluish 'berries' eaten through winter.

Serviceberry
Amelanchier arborea · Tree

Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed.

White oak
Quercus alba · Tree

Acorns plus hundreds of caterpillar species for nestling food.

Bur oak
Quercus macrocarpa · Tree

Drought-hardy prairie oak with large acorns and a heavy insect load.

Black cherry
Prunus serotina · Tree

Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees.

American elderberry
Sambucus canadensis · Shrub

Late-summer berry clusters taken by over 40 bird species.

Arrowwood viburnum
Viburnum dentatum · Shrub

Blue-black fall fruit and dense nesting cover.

Spicebush
Lindera benzoin · Shrub

Lipid-rich red fruit fuels fall migrants.

Feeding red-breasted nuthatches through the Vermont 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 Vermont's winter: Long, snowy winters.

Full diet breakdown for red-breasted nuthatches · Best feeder for red-breasted nuthatches

Frequently asked

Are red-breasted nuthatches in Vermont year-round?

Yes. Red-breasted Nuthatchs are year-round residents in Vermont.

When do red-breasted nuthatches nest in Vermont?

Nesting in Vermont 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 Vermont?

Eastern red cedar, Serviceberry, White oak, Bur oak, Black cherry, American elderberry, Arrowwood viburnum, Spicebush are native plants in Vermont 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

AlabamaAlaskaAlbertaArizonaArkansasBritish ColumbiaCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineManitobaMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew BrunswickNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNewfoundland and LabradorNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaNorthwest TerritoriesNova ScotiaOhioOklahomaOntarioOregonPennsylvaniaPrince Edward IslandQuebecRhode IslandSaskatchewanSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyomingYukon

Other backyard birds in Vermont

Northern CardinalEastern BluebirdBlack-capped ChickadeePurple MartinDowny WoodpeckerHairy WoodpeckerAmerican GoldfinchTufted TitmouseWhite-breasted NuthatchHouse WrenBlue JayHouse FinchPurple FinchRuby-throated HummingbirdMourning DoveAmerican RobinDark-eyed JuncoWhite-throated SparrowSong SparrowChipping SparrowNorthern FlickerPileated WoodpeckerYellow-bellied SapsuckerBrown CreeperCommon GrackleRed-winged BlackbirdBaltimore OrioleRose-breasted GrosbeakEvening GrosbeakPine SiskinCommon RedpollIndigo BuntingEastern TowheeGray CatbirdBrown ThrasherCedar WaxwingTree SwallowBarn SwallowEastern PhoebeChimney SwiftYellow-rumped WarblerPine WarblerEastern Screech-OwlWood ThrushGreat Crested FlycatcherEastern KingbirdAmerican Tree SparrowHouse SparrowEuropean StarlingCanada Jay

Sources

  1. Red-breasted Nuthatch — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  2. Red-breasted Nuthatch life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  3. Red-breasted Nuthatch — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
  4. NestWatch nest box plans and species requirements — Cornell Lab
  5. eBird region overview and bar charts — Vermont
  6. USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023)
  7. Audubon Native Plants Database

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.