Ecostudies Institute Avian Conservation program is conducting a regional population assessment of slender-billed white-breasted nuthatches in the south Puget Sound. We perform point count surveys and measure Garry oak habitat quality to determine site occupancy and inform future reintroduction efforts.

Slender-billed white-breasted nuthatches (Sitta carolinensis aculeata) are a Garry oak-obligate subspecies of white-breasted nuthatch found in low-elevation oak woodlands. Historically, their range stretched from the south Puget Sound region, throughout western Oregon and into northern California. As a result of habitat loss, their population in Washington has declined to the point of uncertain occupancy in most historic breeding sites.

Ecostudies Institute collaborates closely with our partners including the American Bird Conservancy, Washington Fish and Wildlife, and local landowners to assess the current population status of slender-billed white-breasted nuthatches in western Washington.

Historically, slender-billed white-breasted nuthatches could be found throughout the Willamette Valley of Oregon extending into the lowland prairies and oak woodlands of the Puget Sound.

The distribution of nuthatches largely mirrored the range of Garry Oaks west of the Cascades, a patchwork of grasslands and mature oak woodlands maintained by frequent fires caused by lightning or applied by indigenous peoples within their range. Fragmentation of an already patchy habitat, habitat loss due to development, fire suppression, and Douglas fir encroachment have contributed to this subspecies' extirpation from most of its range north of the Columbia river.

Slender-billed white-breasted nuthatches can occasionally still be found on remaining oak-prairie sites in southwestern Washington where mature oak stands remain, and small but persistent breeding populations thrive on sites such as Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge in Clark County.

Like many other oak-prairie specialist species in Puget Sound, the slender-billed white-breasted nuthatch was considered common into the early 1900s, when habitat loss and degradation from human settlement caused significant population declines. In Washington State this nuthatch is listed as a Species of Greatest Conservation Need and a Candidate Species for listing as Threatened or Endangered.

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While most of the on-the-ground research of slender-billed white-breasted nuthatches is conducted by biologists at Ecostudies and partner organizations, there are opportunities for the public to contribute toward nuthatch recovery.

• Citizen Science – Ecostudies uses eBird historical records and observation data allow us to make inferences between past and present management strategies. By submitting observations of slender-billed white-breasted nuthatch to eBird, the public can help biologists understand the bigger picture. To report slender-billed white-breasted nuthatch sightings, Contact Us.
• Conservation at Home – Support for wild birds can be as simple as learning about your local wildlife, planting native species in your garden, and keeping your cats indoors.
• Policy – Public policy plays an important role in the conservation of imperiled species, including slender-billed white-breasted nuthatches. You can be a voice for your feathered neighbors by supporting federal and state legislation that limits the use of dangerous pesticides, designates land for protection, and allocates funding for conservation work, like what we do here at Ecostudies.
• Join the Crew – Ecostudies offers employment opportunities for seasonal work in slender-billed white-breasted nuthatch conservation. Learn more about our currently available positions!
• Donate – Support Ecostudies Institute with donations!