A bit about Western Rock NuthatchSitta neumayer syriacaPhotos taken through the years 2008 – 2009 - 2010Special thanks to:

* Ben Inbar the former Hermon NPA Warden* Aviad Belski the present Hermon NPA Warden

* The Hermon troops, its soldiers and commanders This presentation is dedicated to all of them

Special thanks to Prof. Dr. Erik Matthysen, Evolutionary Ecology Group, Department of Biology, University of AntwerpThe Author of “The Nuthatches”, A&C Black, July 2002

Photos taken byAmir Ben Dovamir.bendov@gmail.com

Some facts of lifeThe Sitta that appears in Israel is from the sub Species Syriaca This sup Species breeds also in Syria and LebanonThe Sitta nest is made from mud, and is using natural holes in the cliffs in order to enlarge the inner nest spaceThe pair will use the same nest for some – many years to come

The external side of the nest is “flavored” with a lot of dark and red / orange spots.These spots are covered with hundreds of flys most are of one dominant Species.It looks as the more “spots” the nest holds, the older the nest is.

Since 2007 I noticed a very interesting phenomena.The Sitta is squashing specific beetles and larva’s on the external nest casing, and sticking red beetles wings on the outside of the nest.

this behavior is seen in all nests.Prof. Dr. Erik Matthysen, Evolutionary Ecology GroupDepartment of Biology, University of Antwerp, the Author of “the Nuthaches”, A&C Black, 2002, brought to my attention thatsuch behavior is known from the literature and is common also to white-breasted and white-cheeked nuthatch, both also nest in (tree) cavity.

On the 7th of October 2008, Prof. Danni Simon from Tel Aviv University identified the Beetle as: Clytra nigrocincta (Chrysomelidae family)

Some species of the family are known to have Salicylic Asid (SA), a strong organic asid that is also active against fungus, microbes and more

According to the literature, the Sitta start nesting in the second part of March, and finish its first nesting round in mid June.Second round starts in mid July till late august.

In the nests I observed1 in 20052 in 2006 – 20085 in 2009

The hatch of the nestlings was amazingly synchronized around the 14.5, and the leaving of the nest around 31.5 +/- a day or two.

In 2010 I saw again one family (Ad’s + 5 nestlings) that left the nest on 28.5 probably early morning

All together from the hatch to leaving the nest it is 18 days

1 pair I watched in 2008 started their second round on 22.7, but I did not follow this nest (luck of time)

If watching carefully, you can observe in the nest 2 nestlings about 4 days old

• On the 16.4.10 during a mourning mission of finding Nuthatch nests, I tackled an extremely rare phenomena, a Nuthatch nest, built half way, open in its upper side.

• As the Nuthatches during April should already be in advanced nesting, I concluded that the nest was broken and inactive, and therefore decided to use this rare opportunity to learn about the inside of the nest.

• I climbed on the small (but dangerous) cliff to look and photo the inside of the nest.

• To my great surprise I found in the open nest 7 white scarcely marked eggs.

• The Nuthatches were not seen anywhere around• After some hesitations I touched one egg and found it to be very

cold • From looking at the nest edges it is obvious that the nest is not

damaged and therefore it is possible that the couple did not succeed in timing the building of the nest with the eggs laying.

• It is so rare to find an open nuthatch nest, even more so, Nuthatch eggs inside.

• The inside of the nest is padded with fox fair (it is not the first time I watch Nuthatches using foxes fair)

• The outside of the unfinished nest is full with squashed beetles and flys all around

The Nuthatch nest built half way on the cliff inMaale Golani upper Hermon mountain

The inside of the nest well padded with fox hair, and in it 7 Eggs

On the 28.5.2010 I returned to visit this nest

First, I learned with out doubt that the nest is not active.Nevertheless it was clearly seen that the Nuthatch continued though did not finish to build the nest.

The eggs found month and a half ago were not found and probably eaten or devoured.

I did notice that the nest was conquered by little black Ants, this is the very first time I noticed Ants in a Nuthatch nest

It is worth while checking whether the “Bittle Juice” the Nuthatch is using is to prevent ants to pray the nestlings

The Maale Golani

Nuthatch nest as

photographed on

16.4.10

The Maale Golani

Nuthatch nest as

photographed on

28.5.10

The Nuthatch nest as photographed on 12.6.10, note that the building has continued, further note that the entrance tube is not yet built, It is amazing to learn that this single

nest is being built for probably 120 days already (and not yet finished)

The fledglings are easy to recognize as they are reddish pink in most of their underpants.There is difference in the amount of reddish color even between fledglings from the same nest

The fledglings will stay with their parents around the nest for a day and then leave the area for another feeding ground.

caring parents…

During the all of the nesting period the male (?) Sitta will adopt 2 - 4 observation points on which it will stand for long hours.It is easy to recognize these points from the many droppings on it.

One of the observation points was always seen 2 - 7 meters opposite the nest entrance.

The Western Rock Nuthatch is certainly an amazing and most interesting bird to learn more about

For further literature• The Nuthatches, By Erik Matthysen, David Quinn, July 2002 Click here for best link to purchase the book

• The World's Best Photos of nuthatch - Flickr Hive Mind

• ADAMYAN, M. S. (1965). [The ecology of a small rock‑nuthatch (Sitta neumayer) in Armenia]. Ornitologiya, 7: 157–165

• AIROLA, D. A. & BARRETT, R. H. (1985). Foraging and habitat relationships of insect‑gleaning birds in a Sierra Nevada mixed‑conifer forest. Condor, 87: 205–216.

• ALLEN, A. A. (1929). Nuthatch. Bird‑Lore, 31: 423–432.

• ANDERSON, S. H. (1976). Comparative food habits of Oregon nuthatches. Northwest Science, 50: 213–221

• BAHR, P. H. (1907). The Nuthatch as a nest‑builder. British Birds, 1: 122. • BANCROFT, J. (1987). Observations of White‑breasted Nuthatch. Blue Jay, 45: 172–174.

• • BRACKBILL, H. (1969b). Status and behaviour of color‑banded White‑breasted Nuthatches at Baltimore. Maryland

Birdlife, 25: 87–91.

• DURANGO, A. M. & DURANGO, S. (1942). [Breeding of the Nuthatch (Sitta e. europaea L.)]. Vår Fagelvärld, 1: 33–44.

• DUYCK, B. E., McNAIR, D. B. & NICHOLSON, C. P. (1991). Dirt‑storing behaviour by White‑Breasted Nuthatches. Wilson Bulletin, 103: 308–309

• For more literature please approach amir.bendov@gmail.com