Tufted Titmouse

A little gray bird with an echoing voice, the Tufted Titmouse is common in eastern forests and a frequent visitor to backyard feeders. Its large black eyes, small bill and bushy crest give this bird an eager expression that goes along with the way it flits through the canopies and drops in to feeders.

The Tufted Titmouse is silvery gray above and white below, with a rusty "blush" on its flanks. It also has a black patch above the bill.

Tufted Titmice live in both deciduous or mixed deciduous-evergreen woods, usually with dense canopies and many species of trees. Generally they are found at low elevations, rarely above 2,000 feet. They often are perched at the end of branches which makes them easier to spot.

Tufted Titmice are regulars at backyard feeders, especially in winter. They prefer sunflower seeds and will eat suet and peanuts as well. In summer they eat mainly insects such as caterpillars, beetles, ants and wasps, stink bugs, spiders and snails. Beside these, they also eat nuts and berries.

Titmouse nest built in bird house

The Tufted Titmouse is a cavity dweller that makes its nest either in a nest box or an old nest hole made by woodpeckers. They cannot excavate their own. Nesting material is very diverse: damp leaves, moss and grass. They line the nest with hair, fur, wood and cotton, sometimes plucking hair from living animals, including cats and dogs! Nest construction takes six to 11 days. The clutch may be from three to nine eggs. Incubation is about two weeks. Nestlings leave the nest in 15 or 16 days.

Titmice hoard food in fall and winter. They take advantage of the bounty of food found at feeders, usually storing the seed about 130 feet from the feeder. The bird takes one seat at a time and usually shells the seed before storing.

Tufted Titmice pairs to not gather into larger flocks outside the breeding season. Instead they remain in the territory as a pair. Frequently one of their young remains with the parents for the rest of that season. Rarely the young titmice will remain with the parents to hep raise the next year's brood.

Listen for their distinctive whistled peter-peter-peter song, a song often heard before seeing the bird.