Probably my favorite backyard bird is the Red-breasted Nuthatch. About once every three years, they arrive in my yard in late fall and stay for the entire winter. They are very tame and always comical.
I spotted this little guy taking a nap one afternoon. He continued to doze for about 5 minutes or so. I got concerned that he might be sick so I went outside to investigate. I got within a few feet of him and stood there with my camera as he continued to doze.
I’m not sure whether he lost his grip in his sleep (although if you look at the photo above, he wasn’t gripping very hard to begin with) or if he meant to do it on purpose, but suddenly his little body was hurtling forward in a perfect half-spin. One second he was napping, and the next he was hanging motionless by his feet. It was the funniest thing I’ve ever seen a bird do. He looked like a tiny, out-of-control trapeze artist. After a few minutes of hanging, he flew to one of the feeders and started eating like nothing had happened.
I have at least 4 Red-breasted Nuthatches visiting my feeders this winter and they are all very tame. Many times now I’ve had one land within inches of my face as I fill the feeders. I nearly grabbed one by accident once when he was still perched on the tube feeder I wanted to fill.
They are so fearless that I find myself talking to them. They look at me curiously for awhile and then go about their business no matter how close I am. They always put a smile on my face.