My Backyard: Tufted Titmouse- August Bird of the Month

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Tufted Titmouse- August Bird of the Month

Beginning this month I will highlight a Bird of the Month. I want to learn more about the birds in my backyard. Since I spend time filling my squirrel proof birdfeeders and maintaining my nest boxes for them, it seemed it would become fun to learn more about them.

A little gray bird with an echoing voice, the Tufted Titmouse is common in eastern deciduous forests and a frequent visitor to feeders.

Size & Shape:

Tufted Titmice look large among the small birds that come to feeders and is the the largest titmouse species
The pointed crest and stout bill help identify titmice even in silhouette
Large black eyes and round bill
Length: 4.5-5.5 inches

Colors:

Wings and back are soft gray
White underparts
A black patch just above the bill makes the bird look snub-nosed.
Rusty flanks

Behavior:

Tufted Titmice flit from branch to branch of the forest canopy looking for food, often in the company of other species including nuthatches, chickadees, kinglets, and woodpeckers.
In the fall and winter they often hang upside down or sideways as they investigate cones, undersides of branches, and leaf clusters.
Titmice are very vocal, social birds and are quick to respond to the sounds of other birds
Its song is quick "peter-peter-peter" repeated in succession..listen hear
Usually seen in small mixed flocks with chickadees and other species following the breeding season.
During the late spring, summer, and early fall, Titmice tend to disappear. This disappearance is during nesting and the subsequent annual molt. These birds are in the secluded depths of the woods and are unaccustomedly silent

Habitat:

Breeds from eastern Nebraska, southern Michigan, and Maine south to Texas, the Gulf Coast, and central Florida
Tufted Titmice live in deciduous woods or mixed evergreen-deciduous woods, typically in areas with a dense canopy and many tree species.
They are also common in orchards, parks, and suburban areas.
Generally found at low elevations, Tufted Titmice are rarely reported at elevations above 2,000 feet.

Feeding:

Eats mainly insects in the summer, including caterpillars, beetles, ants and wasps, stink bugs, and treehoppers, as well as spiders and snails.
Also eats seeds, nuts, and berries, including acorns and beech nuts. Acorns may form most of diet from November to February.
Will come to squirrel proof feeders for Sunflower seeds, suet, bread, safflower, peanuts, peanut kernels

Nesting:

Tufted titmice appear to be monogamous during the nesting season, building their nests in cavities in trees or fence posts.
They sometimes use space excavated by woodpeckers, and they often line the nest with hair that they take from living animals. Often becomes bold enough to collect this needed nesting material from living mammals
Will also nest in artificial structures including nest boxes
Nest construction begins in late April and takes 6 to 11 days.
Clutch Size: 3–9 eggs, Incubation Period: 12–14 days, Nestling Period: 15–16 days
Only one brood is raised and these follow the parents for many months.

Interesting Facts:

Most Tufted Titmice live their entire life within a few kilometers of their birthplace
A young titmouse may remain with its parents into the breeding season and help them raise the next year's brood
They only occur in areas where rainfall is greater than 24 inches per year, and are more common where rainfall exceeds 32 inches per year.
In Cherokee legend, they are regarded as messengers
Tufted Titmice hoard food in fall & winter and take advantage of a bird feeder by storing many of the seeds they get.
The oldest known wild Tufted Titmouse lived to be 13 years 3 months old.

Sources for this posting: Cornell Lab of Ornithology, WhatBird.com, Birding.com & Life Histories of North American Birds