Things
to take into account: |
Nuthatches
are an ideal "small softbill"
to start out with.
They are a hardy bird that will
live happily in an aviary all
year round without any special
care or having to separate the
sexes out of breeding season. |
| Distribution:
|
| It
breeds in mature deciduous
woods, especially large oak
woods, wooded parks and gardens
of central and southern England
and in Wales. It is permanent
resident, with birds seldom
traveling far from the woods
where they hatch |
Size:
|
| Adult
size of about 14cm |
| Feeding: |
These
are relatively easy birds
to feed.
A good quality insectivorous
/ universal softbill mix is
the staple diet.
To this you can add, grated
cheese any fruits or berries
you can find - even raisins,
a few nuts such as peanuts,
hazelnuts or pine nuts, a
few mealworms or wax worms
and any other creepy crawlies
you come across!
For breeding & raising
young then the amount of live
food is increased & fed
separately, gradually increased
as the chicks grow.
In the winter months the birds
become almost seed eaters
- with the diet consisting
more of sunflower seeds &
various nuts, I even collect
& feed acorns. I still
feed the basic mixture and
a couple of mealworms as well.
Always have a bowl of fresh
water for the birds to bathe
in – like most softbills
they love it! |
| Description
& Sexing: |
The
nuthatch is a plump bird about
the size of a great tit that
resembles a small woodpecker.
It is blue-grey above and
creamy / beige below, with
chestnut on its sides and
under its tail. It has a black
stripe on its head, a long
black pointed bill, and short
legs.
Males can generally be distinguished
by having much more brown
under the tail area around
the vent. If you compare the
male & female you will
easily see the difference. |
| How
to Choose breeding stock: |
| As
long as the birds look nice
and plump, in good health
& are young, the main
things to consider are that
the birds are correctly close
rung and you obtain an "unrelated"
pair of birds. This then prevents
too much interbreeding. |
| Housing:
|
Housing
for a pair of Nuthatches is
quite simple; a standard 6ft
x 3ft aviary will give the
birds a perfect home.
Find some old branches to
make interesting perches &
also some bark to line some
of the walls & the Nuthatches
will really feel at home.
They will spend all day scrambling
up & down the bark &
branches hiding food &
tapping away at bits &
pieces.
I went to a local sawmill
where I purchased some "slabs"
- the outside off cuts from
a tree.
The bark used for vivariums
would be another alternative.
I put bark chippings on the
floor - this gives the birds
somewhere to forage through
& hide nuts etc! |
|
Breeding:
|
It
is best to put your pair together
in late summer if you can,
they will then over-winter
together & settle into
their home ready for the spring.
These birds can breed fairly
early if they are in good
condition.
Going to nest as early as
the end of March.
They will lay between 6 &
9 eggs, incubation will last
14-15 days & the young
should leave the nest at about
25 days old. This species
will only have the one brood. |
| What
the Nuthatches use as nest
also materials used: |
|
The
nuthatches nest inside hollowed
out trees, so a simple birch
log tit-nesting box is ideal,
as long as it has a 32mm
dia. entry hole & is
of reasonable size to accept
a full clutch of chicks.
A small cockatiel type nest
box with a piece of bark
fixed to the front would
be another option.
Put two nest sites in &
this will allow the birds
to choose.
You do need a well fitting
removable lid so that you
can access the nest to ring
the chicks.
If the birds can see light
around the lid, they will
fill it in.
They will use bits of bark,
and animal fibers to line
the nest box.
The birds will require a
bowl of sloppy mud for nesting
as they "muddy up"
their chosen nest site,
filling in any gaps or making
the entrance the right size.
|
|
Other
information:
The
information in this article
is what I have learned as
a novice breeder from some
of the other very helpful
friends & reading of
other information.
I have gathered information
because I have become captivated
by the character of the
Nuthatches and wish others
to be able to share in these
delightful birds!
|
Article
By Robb Brown ©2006 |
