White-Breasted Nuthatch

by John James Audubon

In this extraordinary composition of natural history, Audubon demonstrates his remarkable talent for depicting bird actions in an artistic manner. This particular illustration shows four White-Breasted Nuthatches (Sitta Carolinensis) moving along the gnarled bark of a pine branch. Living up to their characteristic behavioral profile, the birds are portrayed moving, holding on, and going down the tree trunk headfirst while hanging upside-down.

The print contains a beautifully textured tree trunk with pine needles, shelf fungi, and dangling Spanish moss or tree lichen. Audubon shows the birds from various angles in order to show their distinct markings; black caps, slate-blue wings, white breasts, and a hint of chestnut coloration beneath the feathers near their vents. Different postures assumed by the birds, one flying and the rest observing the bark fissures, make for a strong vertical momentum.