Western Rock Nuthatch

Sitta neumayer

Identity, life and distribution

Western Rock Nuthatch Sitta neumayer is a compact bird with grey upperparts, pale underparts and a dark eye stripe. It belongs to the nuthatch family, but rocky surfaces play a greater role in its life than woodland trunks.

It moves nimbly over slopes, cliffs and crevices. Food includes insects, plant seeds and other invertebrates, with seasonal changes. It sometimes visits trees, so its perch alone is not an identification character.

A mud-built nest occupies a fissure or sheltered rock overhang, with a narrow entrance. Do not touch the structure or linger in front of it; distant observation is enough to appreciate its construction.

OSME documents resident occurrence in Lebanon, Syria and northeastern Iraq. It is distinct from Eastern Rock Nuthatch Sitta tephronota. Identification requires attention to both features and locality, especially where the species approach one another.

www.oiseaux.net — Western Rock Nuthatch · www.osme.org — Western Rock Nuthatch · wildlebanon.org — Western Rock Nuthatch

Photo: James Eaton