Pygmy Nuthatch Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesPygmy Nuthatch
Adult
Tiny songbird with a short, square tail, a large head, and a straight, sharp bill. Slate gray wings and back; rich brown cap ending in a sharp line through the eye. Underparts are whitish to pale buff.
© Bryan Calk / Macaulay LibraryNew Mexico, August 03, 2020Adults/immatures
Often travels and breeds in extended family groups. Call is a squeaky, nasal note like the sound of a rubber ducky.
© Larry Arbanas / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, January 01, 2005Not all videos have sound
Adult
The smallest nuthatch. It has a brown crown, blue-gray back, and buffy to grayish underparts. Although not visible in this photo, they also have a pale spot on the back of the neck.
© Blair Dudeck / Macaulay LibraryBritish Columbia, June 05, 2020Juvenile
Juveniles are paler overall with a yellowish bill and grayish crown.
© Jeff Bleam / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, July 18, 2017Habitat
Found in pine forests in western North America, especially mature ponderosa pine forests.
© Graham Gerdeman / Macaulay LibraryNevada, September 20, 2016Similar SpeciesWhite-breasted Nuthatch
Adult
White-breasted Nuthatches are larger with a black hood and a white face, including white all the way around the eye, instead of the Pygmy Nuthatch’s crisp brown cap.
© Ryan Schain / Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, February 22, 2011Similar SpeciesRed-breasted Nuthatch
Adult
Red-breasted Nuthatches have a prominent white stripe over the eye and reddish-cinnamon underparts, two features Pygmy Nuthatches don't have.
© Scott Martin / Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, February 03, 2017Similar SpeciesBrown-headed Nuthatch
Adult/immature
The Brown-headed Nuthatch of the southeastern U.S. looks very similar to the Pygmy Nuthatch, but their ranges don’t overlap.
© Shelley Rutkin / Macaulay LibraryNorth Carolina, March 17, 2017Similar SpeciesBushtit
Male (Pacific)
Bushtits have much longer tails than the stubby-tailed Pygmy Nuthatch. Bushtits don't climb up and down tree trunks the way Pygmy Nuthatches do.
© Caroline Lambert / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, January 28, 2016Rotate Your Device to Better Compare
Compare with Similar Species
Click on an image to compare
Species in This Family
Nuthatches(Order: Passeriformes, Family: Sittidae)
Don't miss a thing! Join our email list
The Cornell Lab will send you updates about birds,
birding, and opportunities to help bird conservation.