Beautiful Nuthatch

Sitta formosa Blyth, 1843

Sittidae — Nuthatches

Beautiful Nuthatch, Sitta formosa, is a nuthatch of the Oriental Region, breeding from the Himalayas to north-west Vietnam. It was described by Blyth in 1843 and belongs to the family Sittidae in the order Passeriformes. The bird is notable for its striking plumage, with black and azure upperparts, white and pale blue patterning on the head and wings, orange underparts, and ochre on the eyebrow and throat. A dark stripe through the eye adds to its marked appearance.

Order
Passeriformes
Family
Sittidae — Nuthatches
Breeding range
Oriental Region: Himalayas to nw Vietnam
Beautiful Nuthatch
© Mike Prince from Bangalore, India · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0

Tours where you can spot this bird

20 tours in India 15, Bhutan 5

Eaglenest Fixed Departure Birding Tour
Eaglenest Fixed Departure Birding Tour
India / Guwahati Group tour 13 days

Guwahati – Nameri National Park - Lama Camp – Bompu Camp - Sessni Camp - Khellong - Eaglenest Pass - Dirang – Sangti Valley - Sela Pas...

Next: Nov 16, 2026
14-Day Bhutan Birdwatching Expedition
14-Day Bhutan Birdwatching Expedition
Bhutan / Paro Group tour 14 days

Cross Bhutan in 14 days, birding Himalayan passes, river valleys, bamboo zones and subtropical forests with hotel stays and supported camps....

15-Day Bhutan Spring Birding Expedition
15-Day Bhutan Spring Birding Expedition
Bhutan / Samdrup Jongkhar Private tour 15 days

A 15-day spring route from eastern Bhutan to Paro, with focused birding around Samdrup Jongkhar, Yongkola, Tingtibi, Phobjikha and Punakha....

Bhutan Pheasant and Forest Birding Tour
Bhutan Pheasant and Forest Birding Tour
Bhutan / Paro Private tour 15 days

A customizable 15-day Bhutan birding route linking Chele La, Phobjikha, Royal Manas and Yongkola for pheasants and eastern Himalayan forest ...

Eastern Bhutan Birding Expedition
Eastern Bhutan Birding Expedition
Bhutan / Samdrup Jongkhar Private tour 10 days

A ten-day private birding circuit from Guwahati into eastern Bhutan, with two full days around Yongkola and Thrumshingla’s broadleaf and h...

Northeast India Summer Birding Tour
Northeast India Summer Birding Tour
India / Guwahati Private tour 12 days

A twelve-day spring and early-summer route from Guwahati and Manas to Sela, Mandala and Eaglenest for Eastern Himalayan forest specialities....

Northeast India Winter Birding Tour
Northeast India Winter Birding Tour
India / Guwahati Private tour 16 days

A sixteen-day winter expedition through Manas, eastern Assam, the Mishmi Hills and Namdapha for rare forest, grassland and mountain birds....

Private 7-Day Mishmi Hills and Eastern Assam Birding Tour
Private 7-Day Mishmi Hills and Eastern Assam Birding Tour
India / Dibrugarh Private tour 7 days

A seven-day private birding journey from Dibrugarh through Maguri Beel, the Mishmi Hills and Dehing Patkai, linking wetlands, mountain fores...

Private 22-Day Northeast India Birding Expedition
Private 22-Day Northeast India Birding Expedition
India / Guwahati Private tour 22 days

A private 22-day Northeast India birding journey through a broad Northeast India circuit from Brahmaputra wetlands and rainforest to Eastern...

From INR 366,194
Private 14-Day Assam and Eaglenest Birding Tour
Private 14-Day Assam and Eaglenest Birding Tour
India / Guwahati Private tour 14 days

A private 14-day Northeast India birding journey through Assam floodplain parks and the steep elevational forest gradient of Eaglenest Wildl...

From INR 237,783
14-Day Bhutan Birdwatching Tour with Nikhil Devasar
14-Day Bhutan Birdwatching Tour with Nikhil Devasar
Bhutan / Paro Custom tour 14 days

A 14-day Bhutan-to-India birding journey crossing Chele La, the central valleys and Lingmethang Road before a Kaziranga and Sultanpur extens...

Private Meghalaya Birding with Firoz Hussain
Private Meghalaya Birding with Firoz Hussain
India / Shillong Private tour 4 days

Private Meghalaya birding with Firoz Hussain, exploring Khasi and Jaintia hill habitats and northeast India forest birds by request....

Private Mishmi Hills Birding with Firoz Hussain
Private Mishmi Hills Birding with Firoz Hussain
India / Roing Private tour 5 days

Private Mishmi Hills birding from the Roing and Mayodia area with Firoz Hussain, targeting high-elevation and subtropical forest species of ...

Private Eaglenest and Arunachal Birding with Firoz Hussain
Private Eaglenest and Arunachal Birding with Firoz Hussain
India / Dirang Private tour 7 days

Private birding in Arunachal Pradesh and Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary with Firoz Hussain, focused on eastern Himalayan forest birds and regi...

Mishmi Hills Short Birding Tour
Mishmi Hills Short Birding Tour
India / Dibrugarh Private tour 6 days

Six-day private birding route from Dibrugarh through Roing and the Mishmi Hills to Mayodia Pass, combining subtropical forest, bamboo and hi...

Mandala-Sela Pass Short Birding Tours
Mandala-Sela Pass Short Birding Tours
India / Guwahati Private tour 5 days

A five-day highland birding trip from Guwahati visits Sela Pass at about 4,160 metres and spends two days around Mandala Top in Arunachal Pr...

Eaglenest Arunachal Birding Tour
Eaglenest Arunachal Birding Tour
India / Guwahati Private tour 14 days

Delhi – Guwahati – Nameri National Park - Lama Camp – Bompu Camp - Sessni Camp - Khellong - Eaglenest Pass - Dirang – Sangti Valley ...

North East India Birding Tour
North East India Birding Tour
India / Guwahati Private tour 15 days

Delhi – Dibrugarh – Mishmi Hills - Mayodia Pass - Roing - Maguri Beel – Tinsukia – Digboi - Patkai & Jeypore - Kohima - Chizami – ...

Eaglenest & Meghalaya Birding Tour
Eaglenest & Meghalaya Birding Tour
India / Guwahati Private tour 17 days

Delhi – Guwahati – Nameri National Park - Lama Camp – Bompu Camp - Sessni Camp - Khellong - Eaglenest Pass - Dirang – Sangti Valley ...

Assam & Mishmi Hills Birding Tour
Assam & Mishmi Hills Birding Tour
India / Guwahati Private tour 13 days

Delhi – Dibrugarh – Mishmi Hills - Mayodia Pass - Roing - Tinsukia - Maguri Beel - Digboi - Dehing Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary - Jeypore F...