Species of the Week: Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor)
Often associated with winter bird-feeders, the Tufted Titmouse can actually be seen in Pennsylvania all year long. They are spotted more at bird feeders during the winter because there are fewer food resources available in nature and their winter diet is mainly seeds, nuts, berries, and small fruits. Check out this post to learn how they got their goofy name, their sneaky trick for getting materials for their nest, and more!
The Tufted Titmouse’s Sneaky Nest Building Trick
Tufted Titmouse Songs and Calls
Photos:
“Tufted Titmouse: Range Map.” The Cornell Lab: All About Birds, Cornell University, https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Tufted_Titmouse/maps-range Accesed 4 Jan. 2022.
Elliot, Barb. “Tufted Titmouse eggs in one of my nesting boxes.” 2019. Backyards For Nature: Valley Forge Audubon Society, https://backyardsfornature.org/?tag=tufted-titmouse Accessed 4 Jan. 2022.
Other Resources:
H. Pollock et al. What the pluck? Theft of mammal hair by birds is an overlooked but common behavior with fitness implications. Ecology. Published online July 27, 2021. doi:10.1002/ecy.3501.
“Tufted Titmouse.” American Bird Conservancy, 10 July 2020, https://abcbirds.org/bird/tufted-titmouse/ Accessed 4 Jan. 2022.