Diet
What do white-breasted nuthatches eat?
Insects and spiders from bark; large seeds and nuts, which they wedge and hack open.
Spring and summer diet
- Weevils, beetle larvae and caterpillars
- Ants and spiders
Fall and winter diet
- Acorns, hickory nuts and seeds
- Sunflower, peanuts and suet at feeders
Best feeder foods
- Black-oil sunflower
- Shelled peanuts
- Suet
Nuthatches grab a seed, fly to a crevice, and hammer it open — so feeders near mature, rough-barked trees get more visits.
Where white-breasted nuthatches need winter food
Regions where white-breasted nuthatches are present in the cold months:
AlabamaAlbertaArizonaArkansasBritish ColumbiaCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineManitobaMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew BrunswickNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaNova ScotiaOhioOklahomaOntarioOregonPennsylvaniaPrince Edward IslandQuebecRhode IslandSaskatchewanSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming
Frequently asked
What do white-breasted nuthatches eat?
Insects and spiders from bark; large seeds and nuts, which they wedge and hack open.
What is the best food to feed white-breasted nuthatches?
Black-oil sunflower, Shelled peanuts, Suet.
What do white-breasted nuthatches eat in winter?
Acorns, hickory nuts and seeds; Sunflower, peanuts and suet at feeders.
Sources
- White-breasted Nuthatch — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- White-breasted Nuthatch life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- White-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.