One of our tiniest birds, the Brown-headed Nuthatch, begins building its nest early in February. If you have never seen one you may have heard the “squeaky toy” sound that they make. This video shows good images of the bird and the cute sound it makes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmfmfSlxqMQ
These birds have been on the decline because of habitat loss but NC Audubon has been erecting nest boxes that are designed to attract them. You may have one of these in your yard. Now is the time to begin watching to see if you have a nesting pair. https://ui.uncc.edu/story/nuthatch-audubon-nc-nest-box-stanback-davidson
https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/brown-headed-nuthatch
And finally, you will want to know a couple 0f facts about this interesting bird.
One is that the previous year’s nestlings may stick around and help raise the next generation. You’ll often see several birds bringing food to the nest after the young are hatched. A family affair. The second is that this bird uses tools! The Brown-headed Nuthatch can use a piece of bark to pry away flakes of bark and find insects hiding there. Keep your eyes and ears open for the Brown-headed Nuthatch!