The Kabyle nuthatch is the only bird species endemic to Algeria, where it now inhabits only certain coniferous and broadleaf forests in the Kabylia region in the north of the country.

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.

Ledant was finally accompanied by Jacques Vielliard in mid-April 1976 to observe nesting, which actually occurred later in the year due to the massif range's difficult climatic conditions.

They had to wait until July to observe feeding behaviour and a few fledglings, as well as to make recordings and call trials with songs of Corsican and Krüper nuthatches.

[6][9][10] Kept in the describer's house, these specimens (the holotype and paratype) were seriously damaged after 2005 by insects, and were finally given to the National Museum of Natural History, France in 2015.

[11] The Algerian nuthatch was formally described in the journal Alauda by Jacques Vielliard in 1976 under its current name of Sitta ledanti.

[8] The Algerian nuthatch is placed in the subgenus Micrositta, described by the Russian ornithologist Sergei Buturlin in 1916,[14] and has no subspecies.

[16] In his 1976 description of the Algerian nuthatch, Vielliard devotes a portion of his paper to the possible relationships of the different species and their evolutionary history.

The first three species would even be close enough to constitute subspecies, rejecting the "Mesogean" theory of Vielliard and thus confirming the conclusions of Charles Vaurie.

The second clade, which includes Krüper's and Algerian nuthatches, have the front of the crown black in males, with this sexually dimorphic trait absent in juveniles.

[2] The bird may also produce a rapid trill in di-du-di-du-di-du, and when agitated, it emit a harsh and repeated chèèh[3] comparable to the call of a jay.

[21] In winter, insects are scarce and the Algerian nuthatch feeds on coniferous seeds which provide a constant supply.

[21]The breeding season occurs from May to June in Tamentout and Mount Babor, earlier or later depending on weather conditions and food availability; at higher altitudes it may start later.

[12] The bottom is lined with plant debris (wood chips, dead leaves) or animal material such as western barn owl (Tyto alba) feathers or wild boar (Sus scrofa) hair.

[25] On 24 September of the same year, two amateur ornithologists, Karim Haddad and Larbi Afoutni, went to the site; about twenty individuals were observed and photographed in the Lerabaa forest.

[26] When the Algerian nuthatch was discovered, ornithologists estimated that the species numbered only a dozen pairs and it was feared that "its rarity would attract collectors" and that the announcement of its discovery would cause its disappearance.

[20] The discovery in 1989 of the much larger population of the park of Taza shows that the species is less threatened than it seemed, and that its endemism is not limited to Babor Mountains.

Fires, in particular, are destroying the old mixed forests on the top of Mount Babor, which are being replaced by poorer vegetation dominated by cedars.

Cattle grazing and illegal deforestation (Mount Babor and Tamentout) are another threat to the habitat, even in Taza National Park.

[2][21] The construction of a motor road in the 1970s, which led to soil erosion and an increased risk of fire, or the fight against terrorism in the region, which is a source of disturbance for the species.

[21][24] The Algerian nuthatch may have several predators during incubation, such as the weasel (Mustela nivalis), the garden dormouse (Eliomys quercinus) and the great spotted woodpecker.

However, protective measures have already been put forward, including habitat restoration or preservation through reforestation, planting of firewood outside of existing forests, and fire prevention.