Feeding Behavior

Feeds by gleaning insects among foliage, normally low down among thickets, and usually above water. Sometimes hops about on floating drift wood and mossy logs, peeping into crevices. May occasionally forage by winding its way up the trunks of trees like a nuthatch.

Eggs

4-6, sometimes 3-8. Creamy or pink, with spots of brown. Incubation is by female, 12-14 days. Young: Fed by both parents. Leave nest 10-11 days after hatching. Supposedly can swim at fledging. 2 broods per year.

Young

Fed by both parents. Leave nest 10-11 days after hatching. Supposedly can swim at fledging. 2 broods per year.

Diet

Insects and snails. Feeds on adult insects and larvae (especially aquatic insects), ants, caterpillars, mayflies, beetles, and other insects; also snails and other small mollusks, spiders, and some seeds.

Nesting

Males arrive on nesting grounds in early April, about a week before females. Males establish territories by singing, vigorous displays, chases, and fighting. Males place small amounts of moss into the nest cavity, building dummy nests, but only female builds real nest. Male displays intensively to the female during courtship by fluffing plumage, and spreading wings and tail. Nest site usually 5-10' up (sometimes 3-30' up), above standing water in hole in tree or stump. Cavities are often old Downy Woodpecker nests. Sometimes excavates its own hole in very rotten stumps, and will use birdhouses. Female fills nest cavity nearly to the entrance hole with moss, dry leaves, twigs and bark; then lines it with rootlets and bark strips.