Twitter API: Up and Running

Colophon

The animal on the cover of Twitter API: Up and Running is a white-breasted nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis). This small songbird is 5 to 6 inches in length with a wingspan of 8 to 11 inches. It has a large head, short tail, and a white face and dark crown. The name nuthatch refers to its habit of gathering nuts and seeds, jamming them into tree bark, and then hammering or “hatching” them open with their strong beaks.

A common species, the white-breasted nuthatch has an estimated total population of 10 million. It lives in woodland areas across North America, from southern Canada to southern Mexico. At least nine subspecies exist, although the differences between them are small (mainly plumage color) and change gradually across the range. Like other nuthatches, the white-breasted nuthatch is able to walk headfirst down tree trunks and can hang upside down from branches. This behavior is the reason for its several nicknames, including topsy-turvey bird, devil-down-head, and tree mouse.

The nuthatch is omnivorous, feeding on acorns and hickory nuts in the winter and insects in the summer. It builds nests 10 to 50 feet up in trees, usually in a hole lined with fur, grass, or bark. In spring the female nuthatch lays 3 to 10 eggs, which are white with reddish brown spots. Its main predators are hawks, owls, and snakes.

The cover image is from the Dover Pictorial Archive. The cover font is Adobe ITC Garamond. The text font is Linotype Birka; the heading font is Adobe Myriad Condensed; ...