Red-breasted Nuthatch - Sitta canadensis

Red-breasted Nuthatch has a partial preformative molt and absent to limited prealternate molts that are difficult to detect. Plumages differences by age are subtle, and especially by spring, many intermediates are difficult to age precisely. However, sex can be readily distinguished by plumage throughout the year.

Quick tips

• Examine the crown - it is black on males, but a duller dark gray on females.
• Compare the wing and the back - on FCF/FCU (HY/SY) birds the wing tends to be tinged with some brown, contrasting with the more blue-gray back, whereas on DCB/DCU (AHY/ASY) birds the wings and back are similarly blue-gray, although by late spring or summer some individuals show more wear on the wings, and may need to be considered M-FCF (AHY).
• Examine the primary coverts - they are relatively broad and rounded on DCB/DCU (AHY/ASY) individuals and tend to have some bluish edging, whereas they are generally more narrow, pointed, and lacking edging on FCF/FCU (HY/SY) individuals.

Species account prepared by McGill Bird Observatory (2018). Last updated by Marcel Gahbauer (Mar 2022)