The white-breasted nuthatch’s most common call is a loud, nasal “yank” — often repeated a few times in a row. Both sexes make this call, and it often has a more trembling, almost bleating quality, than either the bird’s song or the tiny red-breasted nuthatch’s nasal call.
When looking for food, males and females exchange a soft “yink.” I listen for this different sound between the two species, and often without looking up.
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