Range.—Pacific coast region, from British Columbia to southern California. These are similar to the White-breasted bird of the east. Unlike the above, although these are tree climbers, they are as often found coming down the tree as climbing up. They build in cavities of various kinds of trees, laying five or six white eggs, quite heavily marked with brown and lilac (.80 × .60).
RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH.
728. Sitta canadensis. 4½ inches.
Range.—North America, breeding in the northern part of the United States and northward. Like the former, these are great acrobats, looking into every crevice of the bark in search of their supply of food, caring little whether they are going up or down in their search. After the breeding season these birds are often found in flocks about the coniferous trees, and appear to be very sociable, keeping up a continuous “yank, yank,” among themselves. They have no other song.
Their nest is usually placed in a cavity of some tree at quite an elevation from the ground, being lined with strips of bark and feathers. They lay from four to six white eggs, thickly spotted with shades of brown (.60 × .50).
PYGMY NUTHATCH.
730. Sitta pygmæa. 4 inches.
Range.—West of the Rockies, from British Columbia to southern California and Mexico, breeding throughout its range. These are the smallest of the family, and their habits and nest and eggs are the same as the preceding. Their eggs being slightly smaller.
