[NatureNS] re behaviour of nesting WB Nuthatches

From: Andrew Horn <aghorn@dal.ca>
Date: Mon, 29 Apr 2013 18:00:52 -0300
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morning.&amp;nbsp

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Hi Jim et al.,

White-breasted Nuthatches do indeed sweep their nest holes with a =
beetle. As far as I know, no one really knows why. It might be to deter =
other birds, predators, or parasites (lots of beetles contain noxious =
chemicals).

European and some other Old World nuthatches narrow the entrance of =
their nest hole with mud, maybe to keep out other cavity-nesting birds, =
and Red-breasted Nuthatches line the entrance with pitch from coniferous =
trees, again for unknown reasons.

There's a video of the European Nuthatch plastering its nest hole at =
this site -- quite neat, but I'll warn you that the video takes ages to =
load: =
http://ibc.lynxeds.com/video/eurasian-nuthatch-sitta-europaea/female-plast=
ering-nest-entrance

Cheers,
Andy Horn
Halifax

On Apr 29, 2013, at 4:08 PM, James W. Wolford wrote:

>=20
>> Subject: [ValleyNature] re behaviour of nesting WB Nuthatches
>>=20
>> Thanks for your note, Bernice & Bill!  Is it the Cambridge area where =
you live? (nw. of Coldbrook?).  I will send your note and questions to =
our two lists of naturalists for feedback on your interesting =
observations.  Glad you have some white-breasts back!  Cheers from Jim, =
in B.C. for another 10 days or so.
>>=20
>> Begin forwarded message:
>>=20
>>> From: The Naylors <bbnaylor@ns.sympatico.ca>
>>> Date: April 29, 2013 12:40:39 PM ADT
>>> To: "James W. Wolford" <jimwolford@eastlink.ca>
>>> Subject: WB nuthatches
>>>=20
>>> Hi
>>> =20
>>> Approx 6 years ago a pair of wb nuthatches raised 6 young in a bird =
house in our back yard.  We got to see them fledge at that time.  The =
box has not been used by anyone since.  This year another pair of the =
WBN are back at it and are very busy.  One bird (I'm presunming the =
female. Maybe I'm being politically incorrect here!)  is very busy =
rubbing a black thing back and forth over the outside of the box, =
including the top where he/she is removing the lichen that has built up. =
 Odd behaviour?
>>> =20
>>> Bernice Naylor
>>> =20
>>> PS:  Bill has just read  that this bird will sometimes rub a noxious =
smelling bug to deter other birds, etc from getting into the nest.  =
Possible answer?  Interesting behaviour to watch.  She/he has been at it =
for most of the morning.=20
>>=20
>> _______________________________________________
>> Nature mailing list
>> Nature@blomidonnaturalists.ca
>> =
http://blomidonnaturalists.ca/mailman/listinfo/nature_blomidonnaturalists.=
ca
>=20


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<html><head></head><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; =
-webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">Hi =
Jim et al.,<div><br></div><div>White-breasted Nuthatches do indeed sweep =
their nest holes with a beetle. As far as I know, no one really knows =
why. It might be to deter other birds, predators, or parasites (lots of =
beetles contain noxious chemicals).</div><div><br></div><div>European =
and some other Old World nuthatches narrow the entrance of their nest =
hole with mud, maybe to keep out other cavity-nesting birds, and =
Red-breasted Nuthatches line the entrance with pitch from coniferous =
trees, again for unknown reasons.</div><div><br></div><div>There's a =
video of the European Nuthatch plastering its nest hole at this site -- =
quite neat, but I'll warn you that the video takes ages to load:&nbsp;<a =
href=3D"http://ibc.lynxeds.com/video/eurasian-nuthatch-sitta-europaea/fema=
le-plastering-nest-entrance">http://ibc.lynxeds.com/video/eurasian-nuthatc=
h-sitta-europaea/female-plastering-nest-entrance</a></div><div><br></div><=
div>Cheers,</div><div>Andy =
Horn</div><div>Halifax</div><div><br><div><div>On Apr 29, 2013, at 4:08 =
PM, James W. Wolford wrote:</div><br =
class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type=3D"cite"><div =
style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; =
-webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><br><div><blockquote =
type=3D"cite"><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" =
size=3D"3" color=3D"#000000" style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: =
#000000"><b>Subject: </b></font><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" =
style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica"><b>[ValleyNature] re behaviour of =
nesting WB Nuthatches</b></font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: =
14px; "><br></div>  Thanks for your note, Bernice &amp; Bill! &nbsp;Is =
it the Cambridge area where you live? (nw. of Coldbrook?). &nbsp;I will =
send your note and questions to our two lists of naturalists for =
feedback on your interesting observations. &nbsp;Glad you have some =
white-breasts back! &nbsp;Cheers from Jim, in B.C. for another 10 days =
or so.<br><div><br><div>Begin forwarded message:</div><br =
class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type=3D"cite"><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" color=3D"#000000" =
style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: #000000"><b>From: =
</b></font><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" style=3D"font: 12.0px =
Helvetica">The Naylors &lt;<a =
href=3D"mailto:bbnaylor@ns.sympatico.ca">bbnaylor@ns.sympatico.ca</a>&gt;<=
/font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" =
size=3D"3" color=3D"#000000" style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: =
#000000"><b>Date: </b></font><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" =
style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica">April 29, 2013 12:40:39 PM =
ADT</font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" =
size=3D"3" color=3D"#000000" style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: =
#000000"><b>To: </b></font><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" =
style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica">"James W. Wolford" &lt;<a =
href=3D"mailto:jimwolford@eastlink.ca">jimwolford@eastlink.ca</a>&gt;</fon=
t></div><d