CAVE DWELLING ANIMALS IN IRAQ PART 2: SYSTEMATIC NOTES ON THE NUTHATCH OF THE FAMILY SITTIDAE (AVESPASSERIFORMES) IN IRAQ WITH ADDING SOME IMPORTANT KNOWLEDGE TO THE NEST BUILDING OF SITTATEPHRONOTA SHARPE, FROM BESAN VALE HAWRAMAN SLOPE, IRAQI KURDISTAN

Abstract

This paper is a review of the genus Sitta in Iraq, Five species of this genus are recognized
Sitta kurdistanica, S. neumayr, S. europaea, S.dresseri and S. tephronota. Geographical
distribution and systematic nots were given for separation and identification, also some notes
on nest building and nest sites of S. tephronota supporting by figures are presented.