marco_p1 Posted March 3, 2008 Share Posted March 3, 2008 An image and a question: why the name "nuthatch"? I am Italian and understand nut, but the word hatch is beyond my comprehension. I have found different meanings as a sustantive or as a verb but none seems obvious to me. Than you! Marco Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
santo_giorno Posted March 3, 2008 Share Posted March 3, 2008 Hi Marco; Nice image. Since the bird opens up nuts to eat, the "hatch" probably refers to "hatchet", a small axe. regards, Santo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickwhite Posted March 3, 2008 Share Posted March 3, 2008 Marco - here is some info from 'Fauna Britannica' by Stefan Buczacki Nuthatch is derived from the 14th century word 'notehache' and is related to the word 'hack'(therefore nut-hacker? nw). Other local names include - blue leg, jar bird, jobbin, mud dabber, mud stopper, nutcracker, nuthack, nut jobber, nut topper, woodcracker, wood hacker, woodjar and woodpecker. Here's one seen from my kitchen window<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iancoxleigh Posted March 3, 2008 Share Posted March 3, 2008 The Oxford English Dictionary agrees with Nick's research too. *** From the shorter OED: Nuthatch (noun, Middle English) From NUT + 2nd element connected with HACK (verb) or HAG (verb) -- from the bird's habit of hacking with the beak at nuts wedged in a crevice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay a. frew Posted March 3, 2008 Share Posted March 3, 2008 Marco: Nice detail on the nuthatch (and the tree trunk and the nut). With its right leg forward, it almost looks like he posed for you. Cheers! Jay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marco_p1 Posted March 4, 2008 Author Share Posted March 4, 2008 Thank you all for your very informative answers. Just in case someone is interested, the italian name translates to something like "Bricklayer Woodpecker", which has to do with the habit to work with mud at the entrance to the nest, but is rather misleading as this is no real woodpecker. Regards, Marco Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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