Chinese Nuthatch vs Eastern Rock Nuthatch

Chinese Nuthatch

Sitta villosa

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This species is locally found in sympatry with the Eurasian nuthatch (S. europaea), but differs from it in its smaller size, clearly visible white supercilium, black crown in males, and relatively plain underparts, lacking the reddish undertail coverts and flanks. In the west of its range, the Chinese nuthatch can also be found with Przevalski's nuthatch (S. przewalskii), and both have brightly cinnamon-coloured underparts. The Chinese nuthatch is easily distinguished by its black eyestripe, while Przevalski's nuthatch has very light cheeks contrasting with the breast. Voice: The Chinese nuthatch sings from the tops of pine and spruce trees. Harrap gives three basic types of calls. The first is a harsh, prolonged schraa, schraa call, reminiscent of the Eurasian jay (Garrulus glandarius), and similar to some calls found in the Corsican nuthatch, Algerian nuthatch, and Krüper's nuthatch. Given, in agitation or excitement, singly or in irregular series at intervals of 0.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: (c) Kim, Hyun-tae, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Kim, Hyun-tae · cc-by

Eastern Rock Nuthatch

Sitta tephronota

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Eastern rock nuthatch is 15–16 cm long. It is one of the least brightly coloured nuthatches, with pale blue-grey upperparts, a white breast, and the belly grading from white to pale orange-buff on the under-tail coverts. The head has a bold black eyestripe. The subspecies range in size from smaller in the east, to largest in the west; S. t. iranica and S. t. tephronota are the smallest, at 30–39 g, while S. t. dresseri at 42.7–55 g is the largest. This last subspecies, while not as long-bodied as the giant nuthatch, is the heaviest in the entire family.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Andrew Bazdyrev · CC BY 4.0

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Chinese Nuthatch and Eastern Rock Nuthatch.