European nuthatch / Kleiber (Sitta europaea)

Kleiber bei St Moritz - nur die können am Baum abwärts laufen. 2023-02-05 16:02:54 Engadin

Observations

First documented observation: 2020-04-04 in Schwändi. Most recent observation: 2026-03-24 in Bolle di Magadino.

Description

Classification: Genus Sitta (Sitta); Family Sittidae (Sittidae)
General: Maybe 8 or 10 short loud notes, a bit of a whoop on the sonogram
General: Deutschland: Brut-, Jahres-, Zugvogel, Wintergast
Etymology: Der Name bezieht sich darauf, dass der Kleiber den Eingang von Bruthöhlen anderer Vögel, zum Beispiel die von Spechten, mit Lehm verklebt [kleibt], um sie selbst zu nutzen. [Link]
Vocalization: Eurasian Nuthatch is very vocal. [Link]
Very varied voice. [Link]

Seasonal behavior

Year-round bird
Breeding: 04-01 - 07-29
More details at Vogelwarte.ch

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=14 cm, wingspan=22-27 cm, weight=21-26 g
Habitats: Forest

Vocalisation

Song: Song: Song a simple series of loud notes [Link]
Song: The song is very variable, with rising and falling notes, sometimes with repetition of excitement calls. [Link]
The song is a slow whistled pee-pee-pee with many variants, including a faster version, and may be intermingled with the call. [Link]
Song a simple series of loud notes. [Link]
Song a simple series of loud notes. [Link] Song attributes: Mnemnoic: 6x steigt, wie 6-Buchstaben 'Kleber' Melody: one note (ll), fast, Frequency: medium (1-5 KHz) Singing season: 02-01 - 07-31 Dawn chorus start: 10 minutes before dawn.
Is the brevity what makes it a song, whereas cas seem to go on endlessly? France Melody: ll ♫ Source: XENOCANTO XC777051 - Eurasian Nuthatch - Sitta europaea, recorded in France and designated as song - a series of 5-6 whoops, pause and repeat, hard for me to distinguish from a ca-ll.mp3 (song)


Calls: It gives loud calls when excited, an abrupt ‘twit”, only one, or in slow series, but often in phrases of 3-4 notes in rapid succession. But in great excitement, it utters phrases of about ten notes per second! We can also hear some shrill “sirrrr”, becoming harsher in alarm call. The contact call is a thin “tsit” uttered before to take off. [Link]
The Eurasian nuthatch calls frequently, usually with a loud, sharp dwip normally repeated twice, sometimes more often if excited. It has a shrill sirrrr or tsi-si-si alarm call, and a thin tsit pre-flight call. [Link]
Very varied voice. Ranging from very high pitched whistles and melodic resonant calls, to chattering and nasal mocking sounds. Characteristic warning call a hard "check" or "chwit", often in rapid series, like a pebble bouncing on hollow ice. [Link]
Ranging from very high pitched whistles and melodic resonant calls, to chattering and nasal mocking sounds. Characteristic warning call a hard "check" or "chwit", often in rapid series, like a pebble bouncing on hollow ice. [Link] 1: Twit, dwip. A long fast sequence of notes - is it the 'twit' call mentioned above?
Long fast sequence of identical whoops, possibly 'twit' call.

Long fast sequence of identical whoops, possibly 'twit' call. ♫ Source: XENOCANTO XC129686 - Eurasian Nuthatch - Sitta europaea caesia.mp3 (song?)

Similar to XC423335 but very regular rhythm

Similar to XC423335 but very regular rhythm Spain ♫ Source: XENOCANTO XC781193 - Eurasian Nuthatch - Sitta europaea - call, one note, regular rhythm, 2 per second, recorded in Spain.mp3 Spain (call)

One note, irregular rhythm. A bird calling while moving up a pine tree (says recordist Nick Talbot).

One note, irregular rhythm. A bird calling while moving up a pine tree (says recordist Nick Talbot). ♫ Source: XENOCANTO XC423335 - Eurasian Nuthatch - Sitta europaea caesia.mp3 (song?)


2: The Nuthatch whoop call is similar to that of the chaffinch. It repeats it about 4 times.
XC632108 Kleiber whoop Ruf von Albert Noorlander in den Nederlanden.

XC632108 Kleiber whoop Ruf von Albert Noorlander in den Nederlanden. ♫ Source: XENOCANTO XC632108 Kleiber whoop Ruf von Albert Noorlander in den Nederlanden.mp3 (call)

3: Tsit. Recordist Stanislav Wroz says flight call.
Flight call in Dampierre-en-Yvelines, Yvelines, Île-de-France. Wikipedia describes a 'thin tsit pre-flight call'.

Flight call in Dampierre-en-Yvelines, Yvelines, Île-de-France. Wikipedia describes a 'thin tsit pre-flight call'. ♫ Source: XENOCANTO XC522601 - Eurasian Nuthatch - Sitta europaea.mp3 (flight call)


Call attributes: Call melody: one note, fast, Frequency: 2-3 KHz,