Larger and paler in colouration than the more commonly occuring European Nuthatch this species fills a different ecological niche also. Rather than woodland this species inhabits dry rocky slopes with steep faces. It builds a flask-shaped nest under an overhanging rock that is fashioned from mud, insect carcases and berries with animal excrement also used. The interior is generally lined with feathers. The species ranges from Asia Minor through the Middle East to SW Europe.
Albania,Armenia,Azerbaijan,Bosnia and Herzegovina,Bulgaria,Croatia,Georgia,Greece,Iran,Iraq, Israel,Lebanon,Macedonia,Moldova,Montenegro,Serbia,Slovenia,Syria,Tajikistan,Turkey, Turkmenistan,
IOC 13.1 Subspecies
Group
Subspecies
Breeding Range
neumayer
se Europe and Turkey to the Caucasus and n Iran, n Iraq, w Syria and n Israel
Africa (entire continent rather than south of Sahara)
AN
Antarctica
AO
Atlantic Ocean
AU
Australasia (Wallacea (Indonesian islands east of Wallace's line), New Guinea and its islands, Australia, New Zealand and its subantarctic islands, the Solomons, New Caledonia, and Vanuatu)
PAL
Eurasia (Europe, Asia from the Middle East through central Asia north of the Himalayas, Siberia and northern China to Japan)
IO
Indian Ocean
LA
Latin America (Middle and South America)
MA
Middle America (Mexico through Panama)
NA
North America (includes the Caribbean)
NO
Northern oceans
OR
Oriental Region (South Asia from Pakistan to Taiwan, plus Southeast Asia, the Philippines, and Greater Sundas)