The Algerian nuthatch or Kabyle nuthatch (Sitta ledanti), is a species of bird in the nuthatch family Sittidae. It is a medium-sized nuthatch, measuring between 11.5 cm (4.5 in) and 12.5 cm (4.9 in). The upperparts are bluish gray. The male can be distinguished from the female by the black front of its crown. The species is sedentary; it feeds on arthropods in summer and on seeds in winter. The breeding season takes place around May–June. The nest, built in a hole of tree, shelters a laying of three or four eggs, brooded by the female. The chicks are fed by both parents. The Algerian nuthatch is the only bird species endemic to Algeria, where it now inhabits only certain coniferous forests in the north of the country. Its scientific name pays tribute to Jean-Paul Ledant, a Belgian amateur naturalist who discovered the bird in October 1975 and named it "La Sittelle Kabyle" (The Kabyle nuthatch); the description of the bird was made by the French ornithologist Jacques Vielliard. The news of this discovery greatly surprised the ornithological world and received international media coverage. The Algerian/Kabyle nuthatch is closely related to Krüper's nuthatch (Sitta krueperi). The bird has only a limited and relict range, threatened by fire, erosion and human action; the species is therefore considered "endangered" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
