Both “titmouse” and “titmice” are correct plural forms of the small songbird known as the titmouse. While “titmice” is more common, especially in North America, “titmouse” is also an acceptable plural form.
Quick Answers
- Titmouse is a type of small songbird found in North America, Europe, and Asia.
- The most common plural form is “titmice.”
- “Titmouse” can also be used as the plural form.
- “Titmice” follows the traditional English pattern of adding “-s” to make a word plural.
- “Titmouse” as the plural form is an irregular form that uses the same word for both singular and plural.
What is a Titmouse?
A titmouse is a type of small passerine bird in the family Paridae. There are around 55 species of titmice found throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. Some common species in North America include the tufted titmouse, bridled titmouse, oak titmouse, and juniper titmouse.
Titmouse get their name from their small size and their calls, which sound like “tit” or “peto.” They have small, rounded bodies, short tails, and flat heads. Their feathers are often gray, brown, or rusty in color. They have small pointed bills suited for eating seeds, insects, and berries.
Characteristics of Titmice
- Small rounded bodies 4-7 inches in length
- Short tails
- Flat heads
- Pointed bills
- Feathers in shades of gray, brown, black, and rusty red
- Loud high-pitched call that sounds like “tit” or “peto”
- Mainly eat seeds, berries, and insects
- Cavity nesters found in woodlands
Plural Forms: Titmouse vs. Titmice
When referring to more than one titmouse, there are two plural forms that can be used: “titmouse” and “titmice.”
“Titmice” is the more common plural form, especially in North America. It follows the traditional rules of English pluralization where “-s” is added to make a word plural. Examples: one titmouse, two titmice.
However, “titmouse” is also an acceptable plural form. Using the same word for both singular and plural is known as an irregular plural. Other irregular plurals in English include “sheep,” “fish,” and “deer.”
Using “titmouse” as the plural form is more common in British English. It derives from the Old English plural forms of words like “house” that are the same for singular and plural. So one could refer to “one titmouse” or “many titmouse.”
Examples
- The birder saw several titmice at the feeder.
- There are three species of titmouse found in this region.
- The trees were full of titmouse gathering nesting material.
- The titmouse family includes chickadees, bushtits, and titmice.
Grammar Rules
Grammatically, both “titmice” and “titmouse” can be used as the plural form. However, there are some guidelines that determine when each form is most appropriate:
- “Titmice” should be used when referring to multiple individual birds. For example: “Several titmice were at the feeder.”
- “Titmouse” is more appropriate for collective nouns, taxonomy, or species names. For example: “Titmouse is in the family Paridae.”
- In formal writing, scientific names, and when referring to the species as a whole, “titmouse” is preferred.
- In casual writing and when referring to individual birds, “titmice” is the more common choice.
Overall, there is no grammatical rule that dictates exclusively using one form or the other. Both are correct, though “titmice” predominates in America and “titmouse” in Britain.
Historical Origins
The word “titmouse” comes from the Old English word “mase” meaning a small bird. It was combined with “tit” to refer to the bird’s call. This became the Middle English “titmose” and later “titmouse.”
“Titmice” emerged as the plural form following English grammatical conventions. But “titmouse” carried over from Old and Middle English as an irregular form.
Similar irregular plurals like “house/houses” date back even further to Old English. So while not as common today, using “titmouse” as the plural has a long history in the English language.
Geographic Differences
Another factor influencing the plural form is geographical location. “Titmice” is more common:
- In North America
- In scientific/academic writing
- In newer publications
Whereas “titmouse” is more common:
- In Britain/Europe
- In literary writing
- In older publications
However, both forms can be found worldwide. But “titmice” predominates in America, while British English shows more instances of “titmouse” as the plural form.
Conclusion
In conclusion, both “titmice” and “titmouse” are linguistically correct ways to pluralize this type of bird. While “titmice” is more prevalent in modern usage, “titmouse” has a long history of use as an irregular plural in English.
Writers should choose whichever plural form sounds best to their ears while keeping the context in mind. For scientific writing, referring to species classifications, or in British English, “titmouse” is favored. But for casual usage referring to individual birds, American writers often prefer “titmice.”
So next time you see more than one of these small gray birds, you can refer to them as either titmice or titmouse and be correct either way!