What does the White-breasted Nuthatch song sound like?
Play the real White-breasted Nuthatch song, the "whi-whi-whi…", and learn what to listen for.
What the White-breasted Nuthatch song sounds like
A male's song consists of about 6–8 low, nasal whistles on one pitch (sometimes slightly rising or falling) repeated in a slow, steady sequence. It's a quiet, whistled "hn-hn-hn-hn" sound. Usually given in late winter and early spring by males to advertise territory and attract a mate. Often delivered from a high perch early in the breeding season.
“whi-whi-whi…”
How to find the bird singing it
Mature deciduous or mixed forests, woodlots, parks, and suburban areas with large trees. Prefers woodland edges and groves of oak, hickory, or maple; often visits backyard feeders.
- Large Head & Face: Large head with black crown (male) or gray crown (female); white face and neck, and a distinctive black eye-line. The neck and cheek are bright white, giving a clean, open-faced look.
- Bill: Stout and slightly upturned, gray-black in color. Used to hammer open nuts and probe bark for insects.
- Blue-gray Back: Blue-gray upperparts. A glossy black band runs across the upper back in males (less distinct in females).
When you'll hear it
Spring
Pairs intensify calling and males perform courting behaviors (like bowing displays and feeding the female). They defend territories and start excavating or cleaning out a nest cavity. Plumage remains the same year-round (no molt changes in spring).
Summer
Nesting season. Both sexes feed the nestlings insects. Adults remain in their blue-gray and white plumage. They are quieter while raising young, though you may still hear their soft calls around the nesting area.
Fall
After breeding, they remain on territory. They cache food in bark crevices in autumn (acorns, seeds) for winter use. The birds often join mixed-species foraging flocks. They undergo a molt in late summer, but new plumage looks similar to prior coloration.
Winter
Seen visiting feeders and moving through woodlands, often with chickadee or titmouse flocks. They maintain pair bonds and territory. Their calls (nasal yank notes) are often heard on winter mornings. Plumage is unchanged, and they are hardy in cold conditions, using cached food.
Don’t confuse it with
Birds whose song gets mistaken for this one. Play them back to back.
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Smaller and with a rusty-orange underside. It has a bold black eye-stripe and more extensive rusty color on underparts. Its call is higher-pitched and more nasal (a tinny "yank-yank") than the White-breasted's slower nasal call. Prefers coniferous forests.
Black-capped Chickadee
Not a nuthatch, but also climbs on trees. Chickadees are smaller with a black cap and bib and white cheeks, and they lack the long bill. Chickadees often descend trees upright (not headfirst) and have a different vocalization ("chick-a-dee" calls).