Meet the Tufted Titmouse
A small gray bird, the Tufted Titmouse (or Baeolophus Bicolor) can commonly be found year-round in forests and backyards across the eastern United States. As members of the Paridae bird family, Tufted Titmice are relatives of Chickadees and other Tit species. While they prefer to eat insects during the warmer months, Tufted Titmice love to eat seeds and visit bird feeders in the winter.1
This is actually why I have chosen this species for my very first Bird Bio post! I can remember several winters when I was a teenager when my mother would feed the birds in our small yard. Back then, Tufted Titmice were always my favorite visitors to watch, and nowadays seeing them at my own feeders is a fun reminder of those moments. But enough about me, let’s learn some more about those birds!
Physically, Tufted Titmice are small but easily recognizable backyard birds with their crested gray heads and white bellies. In my observations, they seem to like taking one seed from the birdfeeder to a branch, where they can break it apart and eat. Once done, they quickly flit back to the birdfeeder and repeat. Titmice also have a variety of songs and calls which can often be heard when hiking through the woods. Overall, they are very adorable and fun little birds to watch!
Fun Facts:
- Wingspan of 8-10 inches2
- Weighs less than an ounce
- Nests in cavities, such as hollow trees or nest boxes
- Lays between 3-9 eggs
- Average lifespan of 2.1 years, but oldest known Tufted Titmouse was 133
- Both male and females share the same coloration
Photography Tips
- Wait for the Titmouse to carry its food to a branch. Often they will sit for a few moments while cracking open seeds and eating, which provides an opportunity to take pictures.
- Attract Tufted Titmice to your own yard with sunflower seeds, or keep an ear out for their “peter-peter-peter” song in the woods to find them. They are year-round residents in the eastern US, which means they can be found in every season!
