8 Ways to Attract Nuthatches

Want to Attract a Nuthatch to Your Yard?

When your trying to make your yard a backyard bird sanctuary, most people put up a feeder and hope for the best. But if you’re trying to attract a Nuthatch, you’ll need to think a little differently. These tips go beyond the basics and focus on what actually works.

1. Plant Sunflowers

Sunflowers do more than look nice. Nuthatches eat those bugs, and then the seeds in the later season. So the sunflowers bring in insects, and insects bring in nuthatches. These birds won’t say no to an easy meal.

• Let some flowers go to seed.
• Don’t use pesticides.
• Leave the stalks standing into fall.

2. Keep Trees in Your Yard

No trees, no Nuthatches. They love climbing down trunks headfirst, picking out bugs in the bark. It’s their thing.

• Oaks and maples are great options.
• Leave old trees and branches when safe.
• Skip trunk wraps—they need the bark.

3. Offer Black Oil Sunflower Seeds

If you want them to stick around, give them food they actually like. Black oil sunflower seeds are a favorite. Here’s a list of great plants that attract all kinds of birds.

• Use a feeder with a perch.
• Keep the seeds dry and clean.
• Refresh it weekly to avoid mold.

4. Add a Suet Feeder

Suet is high-energy food, and birds like Nuthatches rely on it in colder weather. It’s a quick, fatty snack they’ll keep coming back for.

• Hang it on a tree if you can.
• Use a wire or cage feeder.
• Stick to plain suet—no added extras.

5. Leave Bark and Leaf Litter

Don’t clean up too much. Bark, leaves, and old wood are full of the insects Nuthatches eat.

• Let some leaf piles stay through fall.
• Don’t strip bark off logs or branches.
• Avoid mulching every inch of the yard.

6. Keep Things Calm

Nuthatches are alert and jumpy. Too much motion or noise, and they’re gone.

• Keep feeders away from busy walkways.
• Try not to hang noisy decorations nearby.
• If you have cats, keep them indoors.

7. Put Out Water

They won’t just come for food. A clean water source makes your yard even more inviting.

• A shallow dish is perfect for a Nuthatch looking for a drink.
• Moving water helps—it catches their attention.
• Change it often, especially in summer.

8. Skip the Sprays

Bug sprays and weed killers don’t just kill pests—they also kill the food your birds need.

• Use natural options when possible.
• Please don’t treat the trees they climb.
• Less spraying = more insects = more birds.