Chestnut-vented Nuthatch
Sitta nagaensis
Doi Pha Hom Pok National Park, Chiang Mai, Thailand
Continuing on Nuthatches we go now from the wetlands of Japan to the mountains of North Thailand, my favourite Dois of Inthanon, Luang & SanJu. In early April I had written about the Birds on the Doi which was an overview of the four mountains in North Thailand and the abundant wild and bird life inhabiting them. And then a couple of weeks back I had written about the beautiful Mrs. Gould’s Sunbird.
About 685 kilometers to the north of Bangkok lies the former seat of the ancient Lanna Kingdom and is considered one of the most scenic provinces in the country given its mountain ranges, valleys, flora and fauna. A land of misty mountains and colourful hill tribes, a playground for seasoned travellers, and a delight for adventurers. Despite its relatively small size and blissful calm, Chiang Mai truly has it all, a city that is still firmly Thai in its atmosphere and attitude. It is the second-largest changwat (province) of Thailand. Bordered by Chiang Rai to the northeast, Lampang and Lamphun to the south, Tak to the southwest, Mae Hong Son to the west and the Shan State of Myanmar to the north. Located in a verdant valley on the banks of the Ping River, Chiang Mai was founded in 1296 as the capital of the ancient Lanna Kingdom. Today it is a place where past and the present seamlessly merge with modern buildings standing side by side with venerable temples. Of all the places I have visited in Thailand, Chiang Mai with its forests and mountains and the historic city of Ayutthaya are by far my favourites.
Once again we visit the beautiful Doi SanJu in search of the Chestnut-vented Nuthatch.
The word Chiang itself is from North Thai, or Lanna, meaning town or city and Mai means new making Chiang Mai the New City as it was founded later than Chiang Rai, the earlier capital of King Meng Rai. The districts in the province are called amphoe, and sub-districts are called tambon. Another twist is the use of Nakhon (or Nakorn or Nakhorn), derived from the Sanskrit word Nagara, also means city, though strictly speaking it refers to a capital city such as Nakorn Sri Ayutthaya (more on Ayutthaya later). Indeed to emphasise its former status you may sometimes see Chiang Mai referred to as Nakhon Ping. Other common names of geographical features include mae (river) and doi which is north Thai for mountain - for example Doi Inthanon and Mae Ping.
The four Dois we spent our time on were Doi Inthanon, Doi Ang Khang, Doi Luang and Doi SanJu. Read about them in the Birds on the Doi.
Doi Luang & Doi SanJu in close proximity to the Doi Pha Hom Pok National Park, it is the second highest mountain in Thailand and a part of the Dan Lao Mountain range, northwest of Chiang Mai, sharing the border with Myanmar. Doi SanJu, can be easily accessed from Fang town. The mountain forest and no traffic make it easy to view birds. The entire area is very quiet, secluded and home to rare species like Mrs. Humes Pheasant, Long–tailed Sibia, Himalayan Cutia, Black–throated Tit, Black–eared Shrike Babbler, Whiskered Yuhina, Crimson–breasted Woodpecker, Fire–tailed Sunbird to name a few.
We didn’t have the good fortune to see all the species on all the mountains, that would have been impossible, but we did rack up quite a number of species - about 95 of them. This gallery is of the beautiful Chestnut-vented Nuthatch.
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Chestnut-vented Nuthatch
The nuthatch constitutes a genus, Sitta, of small passerine birds belonging to the family Sittidae. They are characterised by large heads, short tails, and powerful bills and feet, nuthatches advertise their territory using loud, simple songs. Most species exhibit grey or bluish upperparts and a black eye stripe.
Most nuthatches breed in the temperate or montane woodlands of the Northern Hemisphere, although two species have adapted to rocky habitats in the warmer and drier regions of Eurasia. However, the greatest diversity is in Southern Asia, and similarities between the species have made it difficult to identify distinct species. All members of this genus nest in holes or crevices. Most species are non-migratory and live in their habitat year-round, although the North American red-breasted nuthatch migrates to warmer regions during the winter. A few nuthatch species have restricted ranges and face threats from deforestation.
Nuthatches are omnivorous, eating mostly insects, nuts, and seeds. They forage for insects hidden in or under bark by climbing along tree trunks and branches, sometimes upside-down. They forage within their territories when breeding, but they may join mixed feeding flocks at other times.
Their habit of wedging a large food item in a crevice and then hacking at it with their strong bills gives this group its English name.
The Chestnut-vented Nuthatch (Sitta nagaensis) is a species of bird within the nuthatch family. It is a medium-small to medium-sized nuthatch, typical in shape and behaviour. The male of the nominate race has a blue-grey crown and upperparts, with a prominent black eyestripe from lores to side of mantle. The lesser and median upperwing-coverts and tertials are back and the remainder of wing is dark grey. A deep rust red on the flanks and red-edged scaling under the tail serve to distinguish this otherwise plain species from similar nuthatches.
It is usually seen clambering around on trees. It is an active and social bird, often following mixed flocks. It inhabits both broadleaf and coniferous forests in foothill and submontane areas. Listen for its song, a loud ringing series of trills. Calls include nasal caws, a bright-sounding “pewpewpew,” and high-pitched chittering. It is found in south-eastern Asia from Tibet to southern Indochina. Its natural habitats are temperate forests, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.
Formerly considered conspecific with S. europaea, but the two differ vocally, and in area of range overlap in Eastern China (Fujian) they differ also in ecology (present species montane, S. europaea in lowlands); further west in China, the two have been found at same locality in Sichuan and may overlap without intergradation, but breeding sympatry remains unproven, and a more detailed study is required. Birds observed in north eastern Arunachal Pradesh in India are presumed to refer to race montium. Those observed in southern Laos are tentatively included in race grisiventris; allocation of widely separated populations (in western Myanmar, southern Laos and southern Vietnam) to the same race, however, seems untenable, and a more detailed study is likely to demonstrate that one or more hitherto unnamed races are involved.
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