Object Status:
Extant
Accession Date:
By 1799
Primary Source Reference:
Charles Willson Peale, Lecture on Natural History 19. (ca. 1799). Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University Archives, coll. 40. / https://ansp.org/research/library/archives/0000-0099/coll0040/
Additional Source Text:
Charles Willson Peale (1741-1827) wrote, in his 19th Lecture (ca. 1799): "No. 331. White band Nuthatch. This species of Bird is found throughout the United Sates, and all the winter in Maryland & to the southward. The summit of the head Black, and continued to the shoulders, the same cenereous colour on the upper parts as the last [species, i.e., Eurasian Nuthatch, S. europaea]; the wings of this [species] reaches to the end of tail, and the colours of both tail & wings the same; but the throat and underparts much whiter, a white band over the Eyes. The plate No. 22 in Catesby differs from this; the white is not extended over the Eyes, nor the black on the shoulders, whence we may conclude that it is a variety. 5 Inches long." (Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University Archives, coll. 40)
Peale wrote, in "A Walk Through the Philad[elphi]a Museum" (1805–1806): "Black-headed Nuthatch (S. carolinensis), common in Pennsyla, and probably through out the United States." (Historical Society of Pennsylvania, coll. 0481)
Alexander Wilson (1766-1813) described this species under the name "White-breasted, Black-capt Nuthatch / Sitta carolinensis" in American Ornithology vol. 1 (Pl. 2), where "Peale's Museum No. 2036" was cited (Wilson 1808: 40). / https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/175530#page/56/mode/1up (text) / https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/175530#page/44/mode/1up (plate)
Specimen Type:
Dead/preserved
Current Common Name:
White-breasted Nuthatch
Current Scientific Name
Sittidae | Sitta carolinensis
