The Tufted Titmouse is a small songbird that is a familiar sight at bird feeders across eastern and central North America. They are identifiable by their prominent crest or tuft of feathers on the top of their head. Their name “titmouse” refers to this tuft, with “tit” meaning small and “mouse” referring to the gray coloration of their body. The word “tufted” again points to the crest of feathers on their head. But do all Tufted Titmice actually have a tuft? Read on to learn more about the defining feature of this charismatic backyard bird.
Physical Description of the Tufted Titmouse
The Tufted Titmouse is approximately 6-7 inches in length with a wingspan of 8-10 inches and weighs about 20 grams. They have a rounded body shape with a relatively large head and short tail. Their plumage is soft gray on the upperparts and pale gray underneath. They have a black forehead and eyeline that contrasts sharply with their white face. The crest is also black in coloration. The sexes appear identical.
Young birds have a reduced crest and duller overall plumage. Their black forehead and eyeline are less distinct and gray plumage is washed with brown. After their first molt they will appear similar to the adults.
The Tuft
The tuft or crest is made up of 6-9 feathers that can be raised or lowered at will. When raised fully, it appears nearly semicircular in shape. It sits just above and behind the black forehead. The ability to control the position of the crest is important in communication. When raised it makes the titmouse appear larger and more intimidating to rivals or predators. They often raise it fully when excited or alarmed. A lowered crest indicates a relaxed or submissive state.
Range and Habitat
The Tufted Titmouse is found across the eastern half of the United States as well as south-central Canada. Its range extends from southern Maine in the east to eastern Montana in the west. And from Ontario and Michigan in the north down to the Gulf Coast states. They are year-round residents throughout most of their range.
They occupy deciduous or mixed forests as well as suburban parks and yards with mature trees. They prefer areas with oak and hickory trees and are often found around water features such as streams or wetlands. They are commonly seen at backyard bird feeders.
Diet and Feeding Behavior
Tufted Titmice are omnivorous, feeding on a wide variety of plant and animal material. Seeds make up a large portion of their diet, especially tree seeds like acorns, nuts, and berries. They also eat fruits, buds, and some nectar.
For protein, they prey on insects and other arthropods like caterpillars, beetles, ants, spiders, and millipedes. They also eat snails, small frogs and lizards, bird eggs, and nestlings.
They use their strong bill to crack into seeds or crush the exoskeletons of insects. They forage actively in trees and bushes but can also snatch prey aerially. They sometimes cache or hoard food items to return to later.
Tufted Titmice are curious and bold around humans. They regularly visit bird feeders, particularly for sunflower seeds, suet, and peanuts. They occasionally rob nests and food stores of smaller songbirds.
Mating and Nesting
Pair bonding between male and female Tufted Titmice begins in late winter and early spring. Courtship involves the male visiting potential nest sites and singing a whistled song to attract a mate. Once paired, the bond is long-term and may last multiple breeding seasons.
The female builds the nest solo in a natural cavity or old woodpecker hole. Less commonly it may be an artificial nest box. It is constructed from grass, bark, moss, leaves, feathers, and other soft materials. It is then lined with finer materials like rabbit fur or fine grass.
Nesting Facts:
- Clutch Size: 5-8 eggs
- Incubation Period: 12-14 days
- Nestling Period: 16-18 days
- Broods per Year: 1-2
The female performs all incubation and brooding responsibilities while the male provides food. The nestlings are born naked with eyes closed but develop quickly. They fledge at 2-3 weeks old but stay with the parents for another 2-3 weeks to learn how to forage on their own. Pairs may go on to raise a second brood in the season.
Vocalizations
The Tufted Titmouse has a wide variety of vocalizations used in communication. The most common is their whistled song “peter-peter-peter” that maintains the same pitch. They use this to declare ownership of a territory and attract a mate.
Other calls include:
- Fast piped “see-see-see”
- Harsh “churr” notes
- Whining “pleeee” calls
- Bell-like gargling when agitated
The “peter” song is distinct from other titmice species and is often the first clue that a Tufted Titmouse is nearby even if it remains hidden in the foliage. Young nestlings have a soft trilling begging call when waiting to be fed.
Difference Between Male and Female Tufted Titmice
There is no external difference in plumage between male and female Tufted Titmice. They are sexually monomorphic meaning they cannot be differentiated based on physical appearance alone. Even their crests are the same size.
The only reliable way to distinguish between the sexes is through DNA analysis or surgically to examine their internal reproductive organs.
Behaviorally, the female is solely responsible for building the nest and incubating the eggs. She also performs the greater share of brooding and feeding the young. The male participates by gathering food and provisioning his mate and the nestlings.
Males have a slightly larger wingspan on average but with extensive overlap between the sexes. Size dimorphism between males and females is extremely subtle.
Juvenile vs Adult Plumage
Young Tufted Titmice can be differentiated from the adults for a period after leaving the nest. Juveniles have:
- Smaller or absent crest
- Duller overall gray plumage
- Faded or incomplete black forehead
- Buffy tips to their wing coverts and flight feathers
Their plumage remains rumpled and molting until their first complete molt into the crisp adult feathering. This first occurs approximately 2-3 months after fledging from the nest.
Characteristic | Juvenile | Adult |
---|---|---|
Crest | Smaller or absent | Prominent |
Forehead | Faded black | Bold black |
Plumage | Dull gray with brown wash | Soft gray and white |
Feather Tips | Buffy | Clean gray or white |
Unusual Tufted Titmice
While the vast majority of Tufted Titmice match the typical appearance described above, abnormalities can occur. Some unique variants include:
Crest Variations
- Absent crest
- Disproportionately large crest
- Misformed crest feathers
- Leucistic (all white) crest
These crest abnormalities are likely due to irregular molting, feather development, or damage. But can persist through multiple molts if due to deformities in the feather follicles themselves.
Plumage Mutations
Very rarely, pigment mutations can produce Tufted Titmice with unusual plumage:
- Dilute brownish-gray instead of dark gray
- Partial or extensive white spotting and mottling (leucistic)
- Yellowish overall wash (xanthochromic)
- Orange coloration instead of gray (erythristic)
- Extensive reddish brown (rufous)
- Blue-gray instead of medium gray
- Albino
These pigment conditions are caused by genetic mutations that restrict or alter melanin production. They occur sporadically in the wild but can be bred for in captivity.
Evolution and Taxonomy
The Tufted Titmouse belongs to the family Paridae which includes chickadees, titmice, and various tits across Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America. Their closest relatives are the Black-crested Titmouse and Bridled Titmouse in Mexico and the Juniper Titmouse of the American southwest. These species share a similar crest and otherwise resemble smaller versions of the Tufted Titmouse.
There are 4 recognized subspecies of Tufted Titmouse which differ slightly in size, plumage shades, and range:
- Baeolophus bicolor bicolor – Most widespread
- Baeolophus bicolor obscurus – Westernmost populations
- Baeolophus bicolor texensis – Central Texas
- Baeolophus bicolor atricristatus – Southeastern US
The Tufted Titmouse split from its closest relatives approximately 2.5 million years ago as forests expanded across North America. Their crest likely evolved as a signal of fitness to attract mates and intimidate competitors. Similar crest adornments have independently evolved in many bird groups.
Relationship with Humans
The Tufted Titmouse is well-known for its boldness around humans. They readily come to backyards and bird feeders provided there is adjacent woodland habitat. Their “peter-peter” song is a familiar backyard bird call in the eastern half of the country.
They are cavity nesters which helps control insect pests that bore into or damage trees. They also consume weed seeds helping to naturally control vegetation. And they are voracious predators of many harmful insect and arthropod species.
They are not considered threatened or endangered and are common to abundant across their range. Their populations appear stable likely due to their adaptability. They have benefited from human changes like forest clearance which opens the canopy and creates edge habitats that titmice thrive in.
They are trusting and easy to attract making them one of the most enjoyable backyard birds for many bird enthusiasts. They provide year-round color and activity with their charismatic crests adding some extra flair.
Conclusion
So do all Tufted Titmice have a tuft? After examining their appearance, geographic variation, and anomalous plumages it’s clear that the vast majority live up to their name with a prominent semierectile crest. It is by far their most characteristic feature that allows easy identification.
Abnormalities like a missing, undersized, or disfigured crest can occasionally occur. And rarely, mutant plumage colors are seen though a black forehead and gray body with conspicuous crest persist. So while not 100% consistent, the presence of a “tuft” remains the definitive field mark of this crested charmer.