Tufted Titmouse

Tufted Titmouse, adult

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1. Description
2. Sound
3. Conservation Status
4. Other Names
5. Cool Facts
6. Full detailed species account

A common bird of forest and feeders in the eastern United States, the Tufted Titmouse is often seen foraging in groups with other birds. It is quick to scold predators and is easily attracted to the mobbing calls of other species.

Description

• Small gray songbird.
• Short tuft on head.
• Eye black and prominent in pale gray face.

• Size: 14-16 cm (6-6 in)
• Wingspan: 20-26 cm (8-10 in)
• Weight: 18-26 g (0.64-0.92 ounces)

Sex Differences

Sexes alike.

Sound

Song a loud, whistled "peter, peter, peter, peter." Call a scratchy, chickadee-like "tsee-day-day-day." Also fussy scolding notes.

Conservation Status

Common. Populations increasing and expanding range northward.

Other Names

Mésange bicolor (French)
Paro, Copetoncito norteño (Spanish)

Cool Facts

• Beginning in the 1940s, the Tufted Titmouse began expanding its range northward. Previous to that it was found only as far north as Iowa, Ohio, southern Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. Explanations offered for the expansion include global warming, the maturation of abandoned farmlands to forest, and increased number of winter bird feeders.

• The Black-crested Titmouse of Texas and Mexico has at times been considered just a form of the Tufted Titmouse. The two species hybridize where they meet, but the hybrid zone is narrow and stable over time. They differ slightly in the quality of their calls, and show genetic differences as well.

• Unlike many chickadees, Tufted Titmouse pairs do not join larger flocks outside of the breeding season. Instead, most remain on the territory as a pair. Frequently one of their young from that year remains with them, and occasionally other juveniles from other places will join them. Rarely a young titmouse remains with its parents into the breeding season and will help them raise the next year's brood.

Sources used to construct this page:

Grubb, T. C., and V. V. Pravosudov. 1994. Tufted Titmouse (Parus bicolor). In The Birds of North America, No. 86 (A. Poole, and F. Gill, eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, and The American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C.