Among the oranges and browns of an autumn woodland, a familiar bird stands out: the nuthatch. Small but clever, it has an unusual way of finding food and an ingenious habit of hiding it.

About the size of a great tit, the nuthatch has a rusty-orange chest, a blue-grey back and a bold black stripe across its eyes. It also has a short tail, a large head and a woodpecker-like bill. Like a woodpecker, it searches trunks and branches for insects hiding under the bark, as well as seeds and nuts. However, unlike a woodpecker, it can climb down a tree headfirst. Its strong feet grip the bark, helping it reach food that other birds may miss. This technique is so unusual that the nuthatch is the only UK bird able to do it.

Nuthatches are found in older woods and parkland with broadleaved trees such as oak and beech. They nest in holes in trees or in abandoned nests, but they are also happy to use nestboxes. Their breeding season begins in April, and they can produce two clutches of up to 13 eggs each.

In autumn, nuthatches are busy collecting food to store for winter. They push seeds and nuts, mostly hazelnuts and beech mast, into small cracks and crevices in tree bark. To stop other birds from stealing their supplies, nuthatches often cover these hiding places with moss or lichen. Once winter arrives, they become territorial and defend their stores from rivals. They rely on an excellent memory to find their hidden food again.

Seeing a nuthatch climb headfirst down a tree in search of food is one of nature’s many delights. Look for these skilful little climbers moving down the trunks of mature trees or listen for their sharp “dwit-dwit” call among the branches at Swanwick Lakes Nature Reserve, run by Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust.

Although nuthatches are not threatened, habitat loss can leave populations cut off from one another. Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust restores and protects mature woodland where nuthatches and other wildlife can thrive.