First Day of Issue: April 26, 2002 First Day City: Tallahassee, Florida,

at the Tall Timbers Research Station Stamp Illustrator: John Dawson

Hilo, Hawaii

The brown-headed nuthatch (Sitta pusilla), which is fea­tured on this U.S. stamp, is found in abundance in or around the longleaf pine forests.

This small bird grows to about four or five inches in length with a wingspread of up to eight inches. Males and females look alike, with a blue-gray back, pale breast and brown head. The bird has calls unlike any other nuthatch — a high rapid "kit-kit-kit" and squeaky "ki-dee-dee."

The brown-headed nuthatch is unique among North American birds for its use of a tool while foraging for food. Taking a piece of bark in its bill, it pries open a crevice in the tree bark to expose insects, spiders and larvae underneath.

Most birds climb up trees in search of food, but the nuthatch has the unusual habit of climbing down headfirst. By doing this, it can find food that other birds may miss because it is searching from a different angle. The brown-headed nuthatch is also extremely acrobatic. It often hangs upside down from the tips of treetops or near the tips of branches while looking for food that is hidden in the clus­ters of pine needles.

Brown-headed nuthatches are monogamous, building nests in hollow branches, tree stumps and abandoned wood­pecker holes. The female lays up to seven eggs, and both par­ents care for the young. Some pairs are also helped by a young male who assists in feeding and defending the territory.