White-breasted Nuthatch?

[BirdManAndy]

Brooklyn, NY at backyard feeder with black oil sunflower seeds. They have been around for weeks. Likes to land on feeder and walk down to feeding holes. Feeds quickly and flies off.

Ignore the bottom two sparrows in the first picture.

[Charlie Spencer]

Yep!

Quote

walk down to feeding holes

Going down head first is typical nuthatch behavior.

Edited November 17, 2022 by Charlie Spencer

[Colton V]

1 hour ago, Charlie Spencer said:

Going down head first is typical nuthatch behavior.

I’ve heard that nuthatches are the only birds that can climb headfirst down vertical surfaces, so if you see a bird doing that you can be sure it’s a nuthatch. Not sure how accurate this is, though. (Do Black-and-white Warblers do this?)

[Birds are cool]

1 minute ago, Colton V said:

I’ve heard that nuthatches are the only birds that can climb headfirst down vertical surfaces. (Do Black-and-white Warblers do this?)

I have seen them do it.

[Kevin]

Just now, Colton V said:

I’ve heard that nuthatches are the only birds that can climb headfirst down vertical surfaces, so if you see a bird doing that you can be sure it’s a nuthatch. Not sure how accurate this is, though. (Do Black-and-white Warblers do this?)

Black-and-White Warblers, Brown Creepers, and who knows what else.

[Charlie Spencer]

1 hour ago, Kevin said:

Black-and-White Warblers, Brown Creepers, and who knows what else.

I don't think the list is much longer.  Definitely not woodpeckers, although I've seen sapsuckers hang upside down to eat fruit and others to hang and peck on the underside of branches.  Lots of things will hang upside down, but I don't think there are many more that actually hop downward head first.

Edited November 17, 2022 by Charlie Spencer

[Colton V]

6 hours ago, Kevin said:

Black-and-White Warblers, Brown Creepers, and who knows what else.

I’ve never actually seen Creepers do it. In my experience they always fly to the bottoms of trees and move up the trunk, then fly to the bottom of the next tree. As someone in the PNW I have done a fair amount of creeper watching. That being said, I am always happy to be proven wrong so I will be paying more attention to their behavior from now on. 

[BirdManAndy]

On 11/17/2022 at 1:51 PM, Charlie Spencer said:

Yep!

Going down head first is typical nuthatch behavior.

The nuthatch walks down the feeder virtually every time. They are larger than the titmouses and sparrows dominating the feeder who scurry when the nuthatches approach. 
 

Thanks for all the replies.