Acrobatic Nuthatches

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I saw a couple of impressive athletic feats yesterday and today, and I’m not talking about the Olympics. Yesterday it was a red-breasted nuthatch pecking at a suet log when a little chunk of it went flying through the air. With lightning speed it darted towards it and snatched out of the air before it traveled 18 inches. Today I was feeding one peanuts out of my hand when it turned to fly away and the peanut flew out of its bill. Again, the nut wasn’t more than a foot or two away when the bird snatched it cleanly out of the air with its bill. Given these birds primarily make their living by gleaning, pecking and prying, they’re amazingly adept at plucking free-falling objects out of the air.

 

Steve Wilson

Isabella