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Corsican Nuthatch - BirdForum Opus

Sitta whiteheadi

Identification

12cm

  • Blue grey upperparts
  • Buff underparts

Male - black crown, black eyestripe, white supercilium
Female - grey crown, grey eyestripe
Juvenile - similar to adult but duller

Similar species

Very similar to Algerian Nuthatch which has only forecrown black.

Distribution

Endemic to Corsica.
A restricted-range species. Uncommon and local but not threatened.

Taxonomy

This is a monotypic species[1].
Recent DNA studies suggest that is most closely related to Krüper's Nuthatch, Algerian Nuthatch, Chinese Nuthatch and Red-breasted Nuthatch.

Habitat

Mountain pine forests. Occurs at 750 to 1800m. In winter occasionally lower.

Behaviour

Diet

The diet includes insects, spiders and seeds. It will store food. Forages in pairs and singly, outside breeding season in mixed-species flocks. Forages like a tit in needle clusters and among small branches, in winter more on trunks and larger branches.

Breeding

Breeding season April to May. It excavates holes in old pine trees. The clutch consists of 5-6 red-speckled, white eggs.

Vocalisation

Call: pu-pu-pu
Song: hididididididi

References

  1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, B.L. Sullivan, C. L. Wood, and D. Roberson. 2013. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: Version 6.8., with updates to August 2013. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
  2. Del Hoyo, J, A Elliott, and D Christie, eds. 2008. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 13: Penduline-tits to Shrikes. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8496553453

Recommended Citation

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