Listening Earth Blog

Kruper’s Nuthatch by Listening Earth

During our time in Turkey’s forests, we’ve come to love the delicate song of the Krüper’s Nuthatch, Sitta krueperi.

These little birds are almost endemic to Turkey, found only here and neighbouring areas of Georgia and Russia, and the island of Lesvos.

When we first came across them, it was quite a thrill to see one, and remains so even though they’ve turned out to be quite ubiquitously common in pine forests.

They remind us of Australia’s Sitellas, and their behaviour is very similar. They gleen along tree trunks, often clinging to the underside of a branch, and can often be heard drumming, almost woodpecker-like, as they dig out insects with their sharp bills.