Corsican Nuthatch

Overview

The Corsican nuthatch (Sitta whiteheadi) is a small, sedentary bird and the only species of bird endemic to the island of Corsica and metropolitan France. Classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN due to habitat loss and fragmentation, it populates old forests of high-altitude Corsican pines.

Identification

• Small bird measuring 11–12 cm in length with a wingspan of 21–22 cm and a weight of 11–12.6 grams.
• Upperparts are bluish-grey with pale greyish-buff underparts and a white throat; the male has an entirely black crown and forehead separated from the back by a broad white supercilium, while the female’s crown matches the grey of her back.
• Possesses a short, thin, blackish-grey bill and light brown legs and toes; the outer tail feathers are black with white spots and grey tips.
• Vocalisations include a light, whistling contact call repeated in series of five to six notes (pupupupu) and a rapid, sonorous song reminiscent of the alpine swift.

Habitat

Found exclusively in the old forests of high-altitude Corsican pines on the island of Corsica, generally living in deep valleys between 1,000 m and 1,500 m above sea level between April and October. The species descends to lower elevations in winter, sometimes inhabiting mixed forests of Corsican, maritime pines, or silver fir, though it avoids hardwood-dominated woodlands and requires large, old trees for nesting and foraging.

Diet

Feeds mainly on pine seeds from Corsican pines, favouring trees with large diameters. During the summer, it also consumes small insects such as adult insects, larvae, and spiders, catching them in flight from lookout posts or exploiting them in the trees.

Did you know?

This bird can move head-down along branches like all nuthatches but is rarely found on the ground. Its scientific name honours John Whitehead, the ornithologist who first brought the species to scientific attention in 1883 after spotting it while observing alpine swifts.