Magical Creatues

AN APPRECIATION OF THE NUTHATCH

Words: RUTH CHANDLER

Even the least confident ornithologist can be sure they’ve seen a nuthatch (Sitta europaea) if, out of the corner of their eye, they spot a bird climbing down a tree. No other avian species descends a trunk (treecreepers ascend then fly from the top to the base of another and repeat) – a skill envied by its neighbours, presumably, and carried out in order to forage for insects on the bark. The woodland-dweller pulls off its unique feat by placing one large foot after the other, rather than side by side. And as if to emphasise its talent, it strikes a particularly impressive pose when pausing to look upwards on its journey, creating a distinctive soft V shape between its large head and small body. It can even hang upside…

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The Simple Things (Digital) - 1 Issue, March 2020

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