Tufted Titmouse Habits

This bird is found along the Gulf coast to eastern Texas where its range turns north and follows the eastern margin of the Great Plains as far as southeastern Minnesota and southwestern Wisconsin.

The northern boundary extends eastward through Michigan, southern Ontario, and northern New York to New England.

Tufted Titmouse Description

Black eye conspicuous on gray face.

Mating and Courtship Habits

With the lengthening days of spring, these birds grow more intolerant of the wintering flock and become more aggressive toward each other.

As this happens pairs (formed during the winter) begin to disperse and begin looking for nesting sites.

Nesting Habits

Prefering to nest fairly high in trees. Titmice do not excavate their own nest site, but look for old woodpecker holes or broken limbs.

They will not use the same nesting site for more than one year.

The nest can be located up to 90 feet above ground. The nest is a cup of moss, bark strips, and hair, placed at the bottom of a tree cavity.

The female will lay 5 to 8 eggs that are white with brown specks. Incubation is done by the female and last about 14 days. During which time the male sometimes feeds the female. Although the female does leave the nest to feed and bath.

The young will leave the nest in about 18 days after hatching.

1 - 2 broods raised each season.

Feeding Habits of Tufted Titmouse

Some of the seeds and fruit that are eaten include oak and beech mast, pine seeds, blueberry, blackberry, mulberry, bayberry, Virginia creeper, and hackberry.

These birds do not eat all the food they find at once. Instead they hide it in tree bark or bury it in the ground.

Spreading the caches far apart in an effort to find some food even if other supplies are found by other birds.

At the bird feeder you can attract the Tufted Titmouse by supplying sunflower seeds in your Feeders.

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