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Tufted Titmouse
Most people who feed birds east of the plains are familiar only with the tufted titmouse. However, since 1983 it has been lumped with the black crested variety of the southwest. The bird is one of the most common and familiar songbirds of the eastern deciduous forest, especially oak woods. Slightly larger than six inches long, the bird is easily identified. Male and female look alike, gray above and lighter below with rusty flanks. A black bill and forehead set off the gray crest. But the real give-away of the titmouse’s presence is the big black eye, made larger by the black ring around it.
At backyard feeders, titmice favor:
They’ll eat from a hopper feeder but as a small and easily dominated bird, a tube feeder may be the better bet. Like chickadees, titmice love black oil sunflower seeds. They’ll hold them between their feet and pound open the shell with their bills. However, two-thirds of the titmouse diet comes from the wild—take a gander at what they’ll eat!
On the job full-time, the titmouse ranks with the best of man’s allies in insect pest control.
Pick On Someone Your Own Size
Take note of the dominance hierarchy at your backyard feeder station this winter. In winter flocks, males always dominate females and juveniles. The alpha male and female usually have bred in the area last season. Beyond that, titmice are well down the ladder. For example, hairy woodpeckers dominate downy woodpeckers, the downy dominates the white-breasted nuthatch and these dominate titmice. Titmice have to settle for dominating chickadees. It’s easy to identify the dominate bird—look for the one that chases off other birds and takes their place at the feeder.
Tufted Titmouse Facts
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