Red-Breasted Nuthatch

They're hard to spot if they don't come to a feeder. They are smaller than a chickadee - about the same length, but less robust - and tend to frequent pine forest. While they winter over most of the US, they summer in the northern and western mountain woods. It's a treat to have them as regulars at my new place.

Hi Don,
First time I ever heard of This bird. Sometime I feel upside down. Not to often.☺️😉

We have both the Red-Breasted Nuthatches, and the White-Breasted Nuthatches at our feeding stations too. Delightful to see. Not only the Nuthatches feed upside down on the suet or seed cakes in our yard, but so do some of the other birds that populate our feeding stations. Both Nuthatches feed on the sides and on the tops of the seed and suet cakes too. They have a number of ways to get their fill.

Nuthatches - at least the White-Breasted and Red-Breasted I observe - spend much of their lives upside-down. They walk down tree bark, head toward the ground, looking for insects. They're quite comfortable in a position like this. The bird is about chickadee size, and has no trouble supporting its weight of only a few ounces (haven't unpacked my bird books yet, so can't give you an exact number).

Looks like a very uncomfortable position in which to eat. Thanks, Don.

Great photo. How can they hold their weight with those fragile looking legs and toes?