People walking in the snow Give the gift of membership.
People walking in the snow Give the gift of membership.

Mass Audubon State of the Birds

Find a Bird

White-breasted Nuthatch
Sitta carolinensis

The White-breasted Nuthatch is a nearly ubiquitous breeder and common visitor to bird feeders in Massachusetts in all seasons. Its preference for wooded suburbs aligns nicely with the growing availability of such habitat in the Bay State.
Conservation Status
No Action: Likely Increase

Tracking This Bird In Massachusetts

Climate Vulnerability Score

Least Vulnerable
Mass Audubon Mean likelihood of occurrence (current)
0.53
Mass Audubon Mean likelihood of occurrence (2050)
0.54
Mass Audubon Absolute change in likelihood of occurrence
0.01
U.S. Forest Service Climate Change Bird Atlas (Hadly Hi emissions scenario)a
-15.50
National Audubon Societyb
Climate Threatened
a USFS model data for Massachusetts by 2100
b National Audubon Society's Climate Change Atlas was completed on a continental scale.

Breeding Bird Atlas

Atlas I Blocks
709
Atlas II Blocks
962
Percent of state occupied - Atlas I
73
Percent of state occupied - Atlas II
92
Percent change
119

Breeding Bird Survey

Annual trend 1966-2010
2.7%
P-value
significant, increasing
Number of routes
27
Recent trend 2000-2010
2.8%

Christmas Bird Count

Trend (1963-2008)
1
Significantly different than zero
yes
Trend (1963-1979)
0
Significantly different than zero
no
Trend (1979-2008)
1
Significantly different than zero
yes
Christmas Bird Count Sightings By Year
Data reflects sightings per person per hour in order to account for varying numbers of yearly volunteers.

Habitat Usage

Breeding

Forest, Forested Wetland, Urban and Suburban

Wintering

Forest, Urban and Suburban

Climate Suitability Current and 2050