Red-breasted Nuthatch

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Habitat and behaviour

Habitat: Conifers (extreme vagrant).
Diet: Seeds, insects.
Best time to spot: American; black eye stripe.

When to look

A rare visitor, not a resident. There is no dependable season, though most rarities are found during spring and autumn migration. More on the season in Rare birds in the UK.

How rare is it?

The Red-breasted Nuthatch sits in our Legendary tier for the UK: a major rarity, where any record is big news. It is not on the Red or Amber lists in Birds of Conservation Concern 5.

Recent UK sightings

Similar birds

• NuthatchCommon · Mature deciduous woodland
• Eastern TowheeLegendary · Scrub (extreme vagrant)
• Red-winged BlackbirdLegendary · Marsh (extreme vagrant)
• Acadian FlycatcherLegendary · Scrub (extreme vagrant)
• Alder FlycatcherLegendary · Scrub (extreme vagrant)
• Aleutian TernLegendary · Seabird colonies (extreme vagrant)

Kit that helps

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