White-breasted Nuthatch – Great Smoky Mountain Birds

The White-breasted Nuthatch is commonly observed at Up the Creek RV Camp. Readily attracted to bird feeders, it spends much of its time laboriously carrying seeds away to hide them in crevices. It gets its name from its habit of jamming large nuts and acorns into tree bark, then whacking them with its sharp bill to “hatch” out the seed from the inside. White-breasted Nuthatches are agile birds that creep along trunks and large branches, often turning sideways and upside down on vertical surfaces as they forage.

White-breasted Nuthatches are loud, and often their persistent nasal calls will lead you right to them. The largest nuthatch, it has a large head and almost no neck, with a very short tail and a long, narrow bill that is straight or slightly upturned.

White-breasted Nuthatches are blue-gray on the back, with a white face and underparts. The black or gray cap and neck frame the face. The lower belly and under the tail are often chestnut. You can identify the White-breasted Nuthatch and many other native birds while camping in Pigeon Forge at Up the Creek RV Camp.