Siberian Nuthatch

Siberian NuthatchA 2006 taxonomic study examined the Siberian form arctica within the Eurasian Nuthatch group and supported treating it as a separate species. That form has dark bluish-grey upperparts, a white belly centre and chestnut flanks. A current species account lists forest habitat and invertebrates as food, but the taxonomic study says ecological information about arctica remains fragmentary.What does it look like?The systematic review describes arctica as dark bluish-grey above, with a pure-white centre to the belly and chestnut flanks. It also notes a narrower, shorter black stripe along the side of the head than in the other white-bellied forms it compared.How does it live?A 2006 taxonomic study examined the Siberian form arctica within the Eurasian Nuthatch group and supported treating it as a separate species. That form has dark bluish-grey upperparts, a white belly centre and chestnut flanks. A current species account lists forest habitat and invertebrates as food, but the taxonomic study says ecological information about arctica remains fragmentary.A current Sitta arctica account lists forest as habitat and invertebrates as food. The 2006 review cautions that ecological information about arctica is fragmentary.Keeping it safeAn extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.