The White-breasted Nuthatch is the largest nuthatch in North America and the less common of the two species found in the province. The number of White-breasted Nuthatches in the province varies greatly from winter to winter. In some years, they may appear to be just as common as the Red-breasted Nuthatch but generally speaking they occur in much lower numbers.

The White-breasted is strongly attracted to large trees, especially large deciduous trees. If your yard has a large deciduous tree or two and not many evergreens, you may actually see White-breasted Nuthatches more often than the Reds. White-breasted Nuthatches are grey-blue above and white below and often show a reddish orange band running along the edge of their chest and upper body.

Like the Red-breasted, they feed along the trunks of trees with their face pointed towards the ground. This unusual feeding method allows the nuthatches to spot insects in cracks and crevices that are missed by the right side up woodpeckers, chickadees and creepers. Unlike the Red-breasted, the White also regularly flies to the ground to collect various types of nuts. The name "nuthatch" is a derivative of "Nut Hack," the name given to these birds by early Europeans because of the birds' habit of wedging nuts into crevices and then hacking them open. Despite its larger size, the White-breasted may be more agile than the Red. It has been observed snatching falling nuts from midair and running down swinging ropes. If you have the chance, watch both species and draw your own conclusions of their agility.

White-breasted Nuthatches often stay together as a pair in winter. Both sexes show a dark blue band on their nape (the back of a bird's neck). In the male, his dark blue cap is the same colour as the nape while the females's cap is lighter than the nape.

I have found that the White-breasted Nuthatch is shyer than the Red and will not eat from the hand as readily. However, it is quite happy to take seeds from the top of your head, especially if you stand with your back against a tree trunk.