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Presidio of San FranciscoCrissy Field Center across the marsh
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Presidio of San Francisco
Pygmy Nuthatch
(Sitta pygmaea)
 
Pygmy Nuthatch
Will Elder,NPS
A Pygmy Nuthatch takes a bath at El Polin Spring.
 

Natural History: The Pygmy Nuthatch feeds on insects, spiders, and pine seeds. It caches it seeds. This species nests in cavities in snags or stumps and breeds from mid-April to mid-August. It tends to guard its territory.

General Distribution: In the Presidio, this bird is found in forests, especially mature stands of conifers. It breeds within the Presidio.

Frequency: This species is abundant all year in the Presidio.

Identifying Characteristics: This species is a small bird with a gray-brown cap and a white spot usually on the back of its neck. It has the tendency to walk upside-down on tree trunks.

Presidio Birds main page

The San Francisco National Cemetery at the Presidio  

Did You Know?
The National Cemeteries Act was based on the principles articulated by President Lincoln in his Gettysburg Address--"that these dead shall not have died in vain." Passed by Congress in 1863, the law established thirteen cemeteries to inter veterans of the Armed Forces and their families.

Last Updated: November 16, 2007 at 17:22 EST