Montana · Year-round resident

White-breasted Nuthatchs in Montana

When white-breasted nuthatches are present in Montana, when they nest, which native Montana plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 3a–6a yard.

Photo: Rhododendrites / Wikimedia Commons

Status in Montana: Year-round resident
Nesting window: May–June
Broods: 1 per season
Hardiness zones: USDA 3a–6a
Nest box: 1 1/4 in round hole, 4 × 4 in floor, 5–20 ft

When to expect white-breasted nuthatches in Montana

White-breasted Nuthatchs live in Montana all year. Very cold winters on the plains, with chinook winds bringing sudden thaws. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward acorns, hickory nuts and seeds; sunflower, peanuts and suet at feeders.

Continental — Rocky Mountain forest in the west, semi-arid Great Plains in the east.

Nesting in Montana

Across Montana, white-breasted nuthatches typically nest from May–June. Nest site: natural cavities in large trees; occasionally nest boxes. Females lay 5–9 eggs, incubate for 13–14 days, and young leave the nest after 18–26 days.

Warm, dry summers and a short growing season.

Have boxes cleaned and mounted before April — white-breasted nuthatches begin prospecting ahead of egg-laying.
Use a 1 1/4 in round entrance on a 4 × 4 in floor, mounted 5–20 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 Montana plants that attract white-breasted nuthatches

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

Bur oak

Quercus macrocarpa · Tree

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

Tall goldenrod

Solidago altissima · Perennial

Insect-rich in fall and seed in winter.

Paper birch

Betula papyrifera · Tree

Catkin seed feeds redpolls and siskins all winter.

Chokecherry

Prunus virginiana · Shrub

Dark summer fruit and heavy caterpillar load.

Common hackberry

Celtis occidentalis · Tree

Sweet dry fruit on the branch all winter.

Ponderosa pine

Pinus ponderosa · Tree

Seeds and bark insects; pygmy nuthatch and woodpecker habitat.

Rabbitbrush

Ericameria nauseosa · Shrub

Late-season bloom supports insects; seed for sparrows.

Douglas fir

Pseudotsuga menziesii · Tree

Seed for crossbills, siskins and chickadees.

Feeding white-breasted nuthatches through the Montana year

Nuthatches grab a seed, fly to a crevice, and hammer it open — so feeders near mature, rough-barked trees get more visits.

Best foods: Black-oil sunflower, Shelled peanuts, Suet.
In Montana's winter: Very cold winters on the plains, with chinook winds bringing sudden thaws.

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

Frequently asked

Are white-breasted nuthatches in Montana year-round?

Yes. White-breasted Nuthatchs are year-round residents in Montana.

When do white-breasted nuthatches nest in Montana?

Nesting in Montana typically runs May–June, with 1 per season. Clutches are 5–9 eggs, incubated for 13–14 days.

What native plants attract white-breasted nuthatches in Montana?

Bur oak, Tall goldenrod, Paper birch, Chokecherry, Common hackberry, Ponderosa pine, Rabbitbrush, Douglas fir are native plants in Montana that provide food or cover for white-breasted nuthatches.

What size birdhouse hole do white-breasted nuthatches need?

1 1/4 in round, with a floor of 4 × 4 in mounted 5–20 ft.

Other backyard birds in Montana

Black-capped Chickadee Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker American Goldfinch House Wren House Finch Mourning Dove American Robin Dark-eyed Junco Song Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Northern Flicker Pileated Woodpecker Red-headed Woodpecker Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown Creeper Common Grackle Red-winged Blackbird Baltimore Oriole Evening Grosbeak Pine Siskin Common Redpoll Gray Catbird Brown Thrasher Cedar Waxwing Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Yellow-rumped Warbler Eastern Screech-Owl Eastern Kingbird American Tree Sparrow House Sparrow European Starling Steller's Jay Black-billed Magpie Canada Jay Mountain Chickadee Chestnut-backed Chickadee Pygmy Nuthatch Black-chinned Hummingbird Rufous Hummingbird Cassin's Finch Spotted Towhee Western Bluebird Mountain Bluebird Say's Phoebe White-crowned Sparrow Fox Sparrow Varied Thrush Violet-green Swallow Black-headed Grosbeak Lazuli Bunting Bullock's Oriole Eurasian Collared-Dove

Sources

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.