white-breast

Our charming white-breast has a little cousin called the red-breasted nuthatch (_Sitta canadensis_), whose under parts are rufous or reddish buff instead of white.

Our Bird Comrades 1896

While the white-breast is partial to oak, beech, maple, and other deciduous forests, his little relative prefers a woodland of pine, being very fond of scampering about on the cones, clinging to them with his strong claws, and extracting the seeds with his stout little bill.

Our Bird Comrades 1896

He is considerably smaller than the white-breast, and his range is more northerly in summer; but, unlike his cousin, he does not breed throughout his range; only in the localities which he selects for his summer home.

Our Bird Comrades 1896

His call, though much like the "yank" of the white-breast, is pitched to a higher key, and has even a more pronounced nasal intonation, sounding as if he had taken a severe cold.

Our Bird Comrades 1896

Like our common white-breast, the British bird may be attracted to human dwellings by furnishing him a regular supply of food suited to his taste, and may grow so trustful as to come when called, and even to catch morsels thrown to him in the air.

Our Bird Comrades 1896