[TN-Bird] White-breasted Nuthatch display

February 27, 2003
Houston Lane, 35.02 N, 85.08 W, Chattanooga, TN

A White-breasted Nuthatch presented a threat display for about 10 minutes this 
afternoon.
It hung upside down from a short stub on a drilled branch suet feeder, with its 
wings fully 
extended like a fan open 200+ degrees, and its tail spread wide, very 
impressive.  It turned
its belly toward whatever bird approached the suet, mainly Downy Woodpeckers, 
but also
Pine Warblers; they seemed impressed, and they did very little feeding while 
the Nuthatch
was there.  The Nuthatch did no feeding.

We have plenty of Nuthatches all year, but I have never seen a display like 
this, just a bit
of tail spreading in courtship.  Bent doesn't mention threat displays.

David Patterson
Chattanooga, TN   

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