LC
Eurasian Nuthatch Sitta europaea



Taxonomy

Taxonomic note

Sitta europaea and S. arctica (del Hoyo and Collar 2016) were previously lumped as S. europaea following AERC TAC (2003), Cramp et al. (1977-1994) and Sibley & Monroe (1990, 1993).

Taxonomic source(s)
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A., Fishpool, L.D.C., Boesman, P. and Kirwan, G.M. 2016. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 2: Passerines. Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.

IUCN Red list criteria met and history
Red List criteria met
Critically Endangered Endangered Vulnerable
- - -

Red List history
Year Category Criteria
2018 Least Concern
2016 Least Concern
Species attributes

Migratory status not a migrant Forest dependency high
Land mass type Average mass 20 g
Distribution

Estimate Data quality
Extent of Occurrence breeding/resident (km2) 51,400,000 medium
Number of locations -
Severely Fragmented -
Population and trend
Value Data quality Derivation Year of estimate
No. of mature individuals 10000000-500000000 medium estimated 2012
Population trend stable suspected -
Decline (3 years/1 generation past) - - -
Decline (5 years/1 generation past) - - -
Decline (10 years/1 generation past) - - -
Decline (10 years/3 generation future) - - -
Decline (10 years/3 generation past and future) - - -
Number of subpopulations - - -
Percentage in largest subpopulation - - -
Generation length (yrs) 4 - - -

Population justification: In Europe, the breeding population is estimated to number 10,700,000-21,400,000 pairs, which equates to 21,400,000-42,800,000 mature individuals (BirdLife International 2015). National population estimates include c.10,000-100,000 breeding pairs in China, c.10,000-100,000 breeding pairs in Taiwan, c.10,000-100,000 breeding pairs in Korea and c.10,000-100,000 breeding pairs in Japan (Brazil 2009). The global population is likely to fall in the range 10,000,000-500,000,000 mature individuals.

Trend justification: The population is suspected to be fluctuating owing to fluctuations in food availability. In Europe the population trend between 1980 and 2013 was estimated to be undergoing a moderate increase (EBCC 2015).


Country/territory distribution
Country/Territory Presence Origin Resident Breeding Non-breeding Passage
Albania extant native yes
Andorra extant native yes
Armenia extant native yes
Austria extant native yes
Azerbaijan extant native yes
Belarus extant native yes
Belgium extant native yes
Bosnia and Herzegovina extant native yes
Bulgaria extant native yes
China (mainland) extant native yes
Croatia extant native yes
Czechia extant native yes
Denmark extant native yes yes
Estonia extant native yes
Finland extant native yes
France extant native yes
Georgia extant native yes
Germany extant native yes
Greece extant native yes
Hungary extant native yes
Iran, Islamic Republic of extant native yes
Iraq extant native yes
Italy extant native yes
Japan extant native yes
Kazakhstan extant native yes
Latvia extant native yes
Lebanon extant vagrant yes
Liechtenstein extant native yes
Lithuania extant native yes
Luxembourg extant native yes
Moldova extant native yes
Mongolia extant native yes
Montenegro extant native yes
Morocco extant native yes
Netherlands extant native yes
North Korea extant native yes
North Macedonia extant native yes
Norway extant native yes
Poland extant native yes
Portugal extant native yes
Romania extant native yes
Russia extant native yes yes
Russia (Asian) extant native yes
Russia (Central Asian) extant native yes
Russia (European) extant native yes
Serbia extant native yes
Slovakia extant native yes
Slovenia extant native yes
South Korea extant native yes
Spain extant native yes
Sweden extant native yes
Switzerland extant native yes
Syria extant native yes
Turkey extant native yes
Ukraine extant native yes
United Kingdom extant native yes

Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA)
Country/Territory IBA Name

Habitats & altitude
Habitat (level 1) Habitat (level 2) Importance Occurrence
Forest Boreal major resident
Forest Temperate major resident
Altitude 300 - 2400 m Occasional altitudinal limits  

Utilisation
Purpose Primary form used Life stage used Source Scale Level Timing
Pets/display animals, horticulture - - international non-trivial recent

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2023) Species factsheet: Sitta europaea. Downloaded from http://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/eurasian-nuthatch-sitta-europaea on 30/05/2023. Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2023) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from http://datazone.birdlife.org on 30/05/2023.