New York · Year-round resident

White-breasted Nuthatchs in New York

When white-breasted nuthatches are present in New York, when they nest, which native New York plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 3b–7b yard.

Photo: Rhododendrites / Wikimedia Commons

Status in New York: Year-round resident
Nesting window: April–June
Broods: 1 per season
Hardiness zones: USDA 3b–7b
Nest box: 1 1/4 in round hole, 4 × 4 in floor, 5–20 ft

When to expect white-breasted nuthatches in New York

White-breasted Nuthatchs live in New York all year. Long, snowy winters upstate; lake-effect snow belts make feeders and roost boxes important. 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.

Humid continental, from cold Adirondack highlands to the maritime-moderated coast of Long Island.

Nesting in New York

Across New York, white-breasted nuthatches typically nest from April–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 summers with a shorter nesting season upstate than downstate.

Have boxes cleaned and mounted before March — 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 New York plants that attract white-breasted nuthatches

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

Arrowwood viburnum

Viburnum dentatum · Shrub

Blue-black fall fruit and insect cover.

Eastern white pine

Pinus strobus · Tree

Seeds and year-round shelter.

Flowering dogwood

Cornus florida · Tree

Fat-rich red fall fruit taken by thrushes, bluebirds and woodpeckers.

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.

Feeding white-breasted nuthatches through the New York 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 New York's winter: Long, snowy winters upstate; lake-effect snow belts make feeders and roost boxes important.

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

Frequently asked

Are white-breasted nuthatches in New York year-round?

Yes. White-breasted Nuthatchs are year-round residents in New York.

When do white-breasted nuthatches nest in New York?

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

What native plants attract white-breasted nuthatches in New York?

Arrowwood viburnum, Eastern white pine, Flowering dogwood, Serviceberry, White oak, Bur oak, Black cherry, American elderberry are native plants in New York 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 New York

Northern Cardinal Eastern Bluebird Black-capped Chickadee Purple Martin Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker American Goldfinch Tufted Titmouse House Wren Blue Jay House Finch Purple Finch Ruby-throated Hummingbird Carolina Wren Mourning Dove American Robin Dark-eyed Junco White-throated Sparrow Song Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Red-bellied Woodpecker Northern Flicker Pileated Woodpecker Red-headed Woodpecker Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown Creeper Common Grackle Red-winged Blackbird Baltimore Oriole Orchard Oriole Rose-breasted Grosbeak Evening Grosbeak Pine Siskin Common Redpoll Indigo Bunting Eastern Towhee Gray Catbird Northern Mockingbird Brown Thrasher Cedar Waxwing Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Eastern Phoebe Chimney Swift Yellow-rumped Warbler Pine Warbler Eastern Screech-Owl Wood Thrush Great Crested Flycatcher Eastern Kingbird American Tree Sparrow House Sparrow European Starling Canada Jay Fox Sparrow

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.