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Breeding Range. (Fig. 119). Fairly common in the Turtle Mountains, in wooded valleys along the Red, James, and Mouse rivers and their tributaries, along the Yellowstone River, and along one sector of the Missouri River (between Garrison Dam and a point about 10 miles below Bismarck); uncommon in the wooded deltaic sand area of western Pembina County, in the Pembina Hills, in the wooded hills and lake shores of the Devils Lake--Stump Lake area, and in the wooded valley along the lower portion of the Little Missouri River (within Dunn and McKenzie Counties); rare elsewhere in the state.

Breeding Habitat. This species is largely restricted to natural deciduous woodland including lowland floodplain forests along streams, lakeshore woodland around permanent lakes, and upland forests occurring on high morainic hills and on east- or north-facing slopes of river bluffs, escarpments, and buttes. Along the Missouri River below Garrison Dam, Edwin A. Hibbard found that breeding White-breasted Nuthatches were more typical of late successional stages of floodplain forest (dominated by American elm, green ash, and box elder) than other forest associations.

Nesting. Breeding season: Mid-April to early August; peak, late April to early July. Nest-building was observed as early as April 13 [1963] and April 15 [1964] in Stutsman County (RES). Egg dates (2 nests): May 1 [1963] and May 3 [1964] in Stutsman County (C. B. Stewart). Nestlings were observed as early as April 29 [1925] in Stutsman County (O. A. Stevens) and as late as June 27 [1965] at Fargo (E. G. Anderson). Dependent flying young were recorded as early as June 8 [1962] in Stutsman County (RES) and as late as August 5 [1969] in Stutsman County (L. C. Haynes).

The nest found at Jamestown in 1963 was situated in a knot hole of a box elder (14 inches D.B.H.), about 14 feet above the ground.

Figure 119. Breeding Range of White-breasted Nuthatch.