Summary

  • Natural history: Red-breasted Nuthatches smear sticky conifer resin in a ring around their nest hole, an apparent defense against predators trying to climb in, and when northern cone crops fail they can irrupt far outside their usual range, sometimes reaching all the way to the Gulf Coast. Vermont and the rest of northern New England currently hold some of the highest densities of this species in the East, but climate models project its numbers could decline substantially here over the long term, even though a remnant population is expected to persist.
  • Status in VT: Increased by 12% (138 to 155 blocks). Greatest increase in Northern Green Mountains.
  • Data from other research: No additional data for VT.
  • Conservation status: State rank S5
  • Other atlases: NY: 36%; PA: 177%; ON: 38%
  • VT’s role in North American range: VT is within the core of the range.
  • Causes of change since first Atlas: Unknown.
  • Management/Monitoring recommendations:Leave soft snags and decaying trees in coniferous and mixed forests.

Population Trends

Red-breasted Nuthatch

First Vermont Breeding Bird Atlas (1976-1981)

Species Account

Second Vermont Breeding Bird Atlas (2003 – 2007)

Species Account

Red-breasted Nuthatch Map 1Red-breasted Nuthatch Table 1Red-breasted Nuthatch Table 2

Change in Distribution

mapkeyRed-breasted Nuthatch Map 2Red-breasted Nuthatch Table 3

Links

Vermont eBird

Encyclopedia of Life

All About Birds