White-breasted Nuthatches look similar, with a bluish black back and white chin, throat, breast, and belly. The sides of the belly and the undertail feathers are rust. The male's cap is black, but the female's is dark gray.
Juveniles look similar to adults, but their breast feathers are whiter especially on the breast.
Male and female juveniles can be distinguished by their caps, just like the adults. This species is a year-round resident throughout most of the United States and parts of Canada and Mexico. Nuthatches prefer to nest near open areas and forest edges. The nest is often located near water, roads, orchards, or fields. These birds also eat acorns and other seeds and are common visitors to sunflower and suet feeders in the winter.