peter-peter-pete!
Uniformly pale gray with gray crest, black forehead and buffy-orange flanks, this common bird is often in mixed flocks including chickadees, nuthatches, kinglets, and other forest birds. Its range has been expanding north over the past half century. This species comes to feeders frequently during fall and winter and is often found in deciduous forests.
Foraging along foliage and branches, as well as seeking insects within bark folds, it is commonly seen upside down while consuming fruit and seeds from trees. Caterpillars are a favorite summer staple. During winter, they enjoy seeds, fruit, nuts, and berries.
This species is monogamous and pairs for life, and both sexes contribute to nest building within a nestbox, old woodpecker hole, or natural cavity. Besides the normal lichen, moss, hair, bark and grass, the cup nest will include snakeskin and fur from raccoons, squirrels, and opossums. Titmice have even stolen dog and human hair on the wing. The female incubates five to seven eggs for nearly two weeks for one or two broods a year.
Tufted Titmouse
Boomer Lake Park, 2015
There is a very small hybrid zone for the Tufted and Black-crested Titmouse, which stabilizes over time. Many of these birds nest just a short distance from where they were hatched. A group of titmice is known as a banditry or dissimulation.
One of five titmouse species in the country, this one does not migrate. Many will stay within a nest cavity through the winter.
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