What does the Red-breasted Nuthatch eat?

The Red-breasted Nuthatch's diet shapes where and when you'll find it. Understanding what it eats helps you predict where to look.

Diet overview

Omnivore, primarily insectivorous during breeding season and granivorous (conifer seeds) during winter.

How it forages

Forages primarily on tree trunks and large branches, often moving headfirst down the bark. It probes crevices for insects and spiders, and extracts seeds from conifer cones. It frequently caches seeds and insects under bark flakes or in crevices, often covering them with lichen or bark fragments. Will visit bird feeders for sunflower seeds and suet.

When it feeds

Diurnal.

Explore the Red-breasted Nuthatch