Diet
What do red-breasted nuthatches eat?
Conifer seeds and insects.
Nuthatches (Sittidae)Red-breasted NuthatchSitta canadensis
Spring and summer diet
- Beetles, caterpillars and spiders
Fall and winter diet
- Spruce, fir and pine seeds
Best feeder foods
- Black-oil sunflower
- Suet
- Peanut hearts
Irrupts south in poor cone years; smears sap around its nest hole to deter predators.
Where red-breasted nuthatches need winter food
Regions where red-breasted nuthatches are present in the cold months:
AlabamaAlaskaAlbertaArizonaArkansasBritish ColumbiaCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineManitobaMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew BrunswickNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNewfoundland and LabradorNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaNorthwest TerritoriesNova ScotiaOhioOklahomaOntarioOregonPennsylvaniaPrince Edward IslandQuebecRhode IslandSaskatchewanSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyomingYukon
Frequently asked
What do red-breasted nuthatches eat?
Conifer seeds and insects.
What is the best food to feed red-breasted nuthatches?
Black-oil sunflower, Suet, Peanut hearts.
What do red-breasted nuthatches eat in winter?
Spruce, fir and pine seeds.
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
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.