The 4 Foods Nuthatches Can't Resist

Nuthatch Nutrition: What Foods Do Nuthatches Consume?

The most common backyard nuthatches are white-breasted nuthatchesand red-breasted nuthatches. Additional nuthatch species in North America inhabit specific environments—brown-headed nuthatchesLive in the Deep South and pygmy nuthatches are found in western forests. If you're hoping to draw nuthatches in, you may have wondered what nuthatches consume.

InsectsNuthatches primarily rely on this as their main food source. The birds look for hidden snacks such as beetles, spiders, ants, and caterpillars by searching through bark and cracks as they move along tree trunks. Nuthatches may also come to backyard feeders, particularly if there are plenty of trees in your yard that offer them places to search for food and take cover. Fill your feeders with their preferred foods, and you'll be well on your way to drawing nuthatches in.

Fascinating factNot only do nuthatches look for food in cracks, but they alsohide foodwithin them. They will place seeds or insects into cavities in trees and skillfully conceal their storage areas using lichens, moss, or fragments of bark. The nuthatches will revisit this concealed food source and rely on it for sustenance during the winter months.

Suet

Whether you make your own suetor purchase it, a suet block placed in a cage-style feeder is certain to draw nuthatches. During the winter season, when conifer seeds can be limited, red-breasted nuthatches may venture out to find food and are likely to visit feeders for a suet treat. Addpeanut butterto your homemade suet blend and white-breasted nuthatches will enjoy it even more!

Sunflower Seeds

Any form of sunflower seedwill draw in preferred birds, but when it comes to feeding nuthatches, offering upblack oil sunflower seedsis a sure thing. Since bully birds also go for black oil sunflower seeds, a tube feeder with small perches is ideal.

Peanuts

If you haven't acquired a peanut feeder yet, obtain one for the approaching cold weather. Here's how to create aHandmade bird feeder for peanuts. The red and white-breasted nuthatches can keep you entertained for hours as they dash up, down, and around a peanut feeder. What do they love to eat? Peanuts that are shelled and unsalted.

Live Mealworms

More types of birds besides bluebirds appreciate amealwormsnack. A significant part of the nuthatch's diet consists of insects, making it definitely worth trying to offer mealworms. They don't need anything complicated; simply place some mealworms in a shallow tray or platform feeder and hope for the best.

Next, check out the best foods to draw woodpeckers in.