NUTHATCH

family name Sittidae, any of about 22 species of the genus Sitta. They are bob-tailed, short-necked little birds that search tree trunks and rocks for food, often descending headfirst. They are primarily insectivorous but also eat seeds, which they may store for winter use. Nuthatches have persistent metallic or nasal calls and tend to be sociable. The usual nest is a cavity lined with grass or hair. Nuthatches are commonest in Eurasia, eastward to Japan, the Philippines, and Sumatra; four species occur in North America. Most are bluish above and white or reddish below, and there may be a black eye stripe or a cap. The coral-billed nuthatch (Hypositta corallirostris), of Madagascar, is considered an aberrant member of the vanga shrike family (Vangidae).