Sitta carolinensis
A common, small 5 – 6 inch bird, native to Virginia all year round.
Males are blue-gray with a white face and belly and a narrow black cap and nape. They also have a slight chestnut under-tail and a long thin bill that turns slightly upward.
Females are similar except with a grey cap and nap.
Juveniles are the same females.
White-breasted Nuthatches eat insects, nuts, suet and some seeds. They love to take large acorns or nuts and hit them into a tree, then using their sharp bill to “hatch” the seed out. They are often seen “upside-down” while eating or climbing a tree.