The tufted titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) is a small songbird found throughout much of eastern and central North America. Its natural range extends from southern Ontario and Quebec in the north, southwards through the eastern United States as far as northern Florida and the Gulf Coast states. To the west, the tufted titmouse’s range reaches across the Great Plains states into eastern Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, and the Dakotas.
Quick Facts About the Tufted Titmouse
Here are some key facts about the tufted titmouse:
- Scientific name: Baeolophus bicolor
- Average length: 5.5-6.3 inches
- Wingspan: 7.9-10.2 inches
- Weight: 0.5-0.8 oz
- Lifespan: 2-3 years in wild, up to 12 years in captivity
- Conservation status: Least concern
The tufted titmouse is a plump, round-bodied songbird with a relatively large head and short tail. It is named for its prominent, pointed black crest which sits atop the grey crown. It has sooty-grey upperparts and white underparts, with rusty flanks. The tufted titmouse has a black forehead and a black patch just below the bill, with white borders above and below this patch forming a striking facial pattern. Its eyes are black and its short bill is black on top with a paler lower mandible.
Native Range and Habitat
The tufted titmouse is native to eastern and central North America. Its breeding range centers on the eastern United States and adjoining areas of southern Canada. The species expanded its range dramatically northwards and westwards in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This expansion was likely due to increasing tree planting and provision of bird feeders within its range.
Within its extensive natural range across eastern and central North America, the tufted titmouse inhabits deciduous and mixed forests, parks, suburban areas with trees, and wooded swamps. It prefers areas with a dense understory and areas near water. Oak-hickory forests are a prime habitat type for this species, which likes a mix of oak and other deciduous tree species. In many parts of its range, the tufted titmouse has readily adapted to wooded suburban and urban areas.
The tufted titmouse generally occurs up to around 3,300 feet in elevation in mountainous areas, but descends to lowlands and coastal areas in the southern parts of its range. It is mostly non-migratory, but northern populations may migrate short distances southwards in winter while southern populations are often altitudinal migrants.
Eastern United States
In the eastern United States, the Tufted Titmouse can be found across nearly the entire region east of the Great Plains, from as far north as Maine down to southernmost Florida. Its range extends westward into Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, and eastern Texas.
Midwestern United States
Going west from the Appalachians across the Midwest, the Tufted Titmouse is found across Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and southeast Minnesota. Its range extends southwest into eastern Kansas, Oklahoma, and northeast Texas.
Southern Canada
In Canada, the Tufted Titmouse occurs in southern Ontario and southwestern Quebec. Vagrants may occasionally reach as far north as the Ottawa region.
Range Expansion Over Time
The Tufted Titmouse has significantly expanded its natural range over the last 150 years. In the early 19th century, it was restricted to south of the Ohio River. After 1850, it steadily expanded its range northwards into Ontario, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, New York, New England, and southeastern Canada.
Westwards, the species expanded from the Appalachian region across the Mississippi River into Missouri, Iowa, and beyond in the early 1900s. By the 1970s, it occupied most of its current breeding range. The provision of bird feeders allowing year-round food sources likely facilitated the Tufted Titmouse’s dramatic expansion. Warming trends in the 20th century may have also played a role.
19th Century Range
In the early to mid-19th century, the Tufted Titmouse was restricted to areas south of the Ohio River valley, from southern Ohio west to Missouri and south to the Gulf of Mexico.
Early 20th Century Expansion
Between 1850 and the early 1900s, the species expanded northwards into Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Ontario, western New York, and New England. Small numbers reached southern Canada during this period.
Mid 20th Century Range
By the mid-20th century, the Tufted Titmouse occupied most of its current eastern range. Westwards, it expanded across Iowa, Missouri, eastern Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and northeast Texas between 1900 and 1970.
Current Range
The Tufted Titmouse now occupies almost all of its potential breeding habitat in eastern and central North America. Its range reaches north to southern Canada, south to the Gulf Coast, and west to the Great Plains. It has readily adapted to wooded suburban areas.
Diet and Feeding
The tufted titmouse is an omnivorous songbird with a varied diet. It consumes a wide range of plant and animal material depending on season and availability. Much of its food is gleaned from trees, either picking through foliage or snatching prey items from branches. The titmouse sometimes hovers briefly to pluck food from leaves.
This species often joins mixed flocks with chickadees, nuthatches, and woodpeckers while foraging. It sometimes caches surplus food items to store for later use.
Plant Foods
The tufted titmouse eats a variety of berries, seeds, fruits, nuts, acorns, and buds. Favored plant foods include:
- Seeds of trees like maple, ash, pine, sweetgum
- Acorns
- Berries from dogwood, sumac, hackberry, wild grape, Virginia creeper
- Fruits such as mulberries, apples, strawberries
- Nuts like hazelnuts, beech nuts, pecans
- Tree buds
- Corn
- Sunflower seeds from bird feeders
Invertebrates
The tufted titmouse eats a variety of insects and other invertebrate prey, including:
- Caterpillars
- Beetles
- Ants
- Wasps
- Spiders
- Grasshoppers
- Treehoppers
- Aphids
- Scale insects
- Fly larvae
Other Prey
The Tufted Titmouse occasionally eats small amounts of other animal protein sources such as:
- Frog eggs
- Salamanders
- Small snails
- Tree frogs
- Nestling birds
- Lizards
- Small fish
It typically catches insects and other small prey by gleaning foliage and branches. The titmouse sometimes hovers briefly when plucking prey from leaves. It occassionally catches insects in mid-air.
Breeding and Nesting
The tufted titmouse breeds between early March and June across most of its range. Courtship displays begin in late winter or early spring. These birds are primarily cavity nesters, using natural holes and old woodpecker cavities in trees. They may also use nest boxes put up for chickadees or titmice.
Courtship and Pairing
Courtship displays involve the male visiting potential nest sites and singing a mix of clear whistles and harsh notes to attract a female. Often the male brings nest material into a cavity while singing softly to demonstrate a nest site.
Once paired, the male and female remain in close contact. Pairs may remain together for more than one breeding season. Courtship feeding of the female by her mate also occurs before and during egg laying.
Nest Sites
The tufted titmouse nests in natural tree cavities or old woodpecker holes, favoring sites 10-40 feet above ground. It may also readily use nest boxes targeted for chickadees or titmice. Favored nest sites include:
- Natural cavities in oak, maple, cottonwood, willow, sweetgum, hickory, beech, sycamore, ash
- Old nest holes made by woodpeckers like the downy, hairy, red-headed, red-bellied
- Human-made nest boxes with 1 1/8 inch diameter entrance holes
The female builds the nest using soft material like grass, moss, wool, feathers, fur, or fine rootlets. She then lines this base with hair, fine grass, or pine needles. Both sexes help excavate cavity nests in rotting wood when necessary.
Eggs and Raising Young
The female tufted titmouse lays 3-8 white or cream-colored eggs with brownish spots. She incubates them alone for 12-14 days before they hatch. The chicks are altricial, hatching naked and helpless. Both parents feed the nestlings with insects and other small prey.
The young fledge at 16-18 days old but continue to be fed by the parents for some time after leaving the nest. First-year birds may remain with their parents until early winter when they join winter foraging flocks.
Population and Conservation Status
The tufted titmouse has an extremely large global population estimated at over 28 million individuals. Its numbers increased substantially as it expanded its range northwards in the last 150 years. While it suffered some declines in the late 20th century, its widespread abundance and increasing trend means it is evaluated as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Population Numbers
The global population of the tufted titmouse is estimated at over 28 million individual birds. Trend data from the North American Breeding Bird Survey between 1966-2015 found:
- Continental US: -0.5% per year (significant decline)
- Central US: +0.9% per year (significant increase)
- Eastern US: -1.1% per year (significant decline)
Despite some regional declines, the species remains common to abundant throughout its breeding range.
Threats and Conservation Actions
The tufted titmouse has few major threats at present and is not considered a species of conservation concern. Possible localized issues include:
- Loss of nesting sites and mature trees
- Increased frequency of nest predation
- Competition with non-native birds like European Starlings for nest sites
Conservation actions include protecting areas of high suitability habitat, retaining standing dead trees, and increasing availability of nest boxes. Logging operations should aim to maintain mature trees within cut areas.
Time Period | Population Trend |
---|---|
1966-2015 | Continental US: -0.5% per year (significant decline) |
1966-2015 | Central US: +0.9% per year (significant increase) |
1966-2015 | Eastern US: -1.1% per year (significant decline) |
The table summarizes trend data on Tufted Titmouse populations from 1966-2015 in different regions, showing an overall decline continentally but an increase in the central United States.
Behavior and Ecology
The tufted titmouse is an active, social songbird that lives year-round in small flocks centered around mated pairs. It is non-migratory across most of its range. This is a noisy, vocal species with a variety of whistles, notes, and calls used to communicate.
Social Behavior
The tufted titmouse lives in small social groups year-round, with a mated pair at the center of each group. Winter flocks usually contain 5-10 birds while breeding groups are smaller, often a pair and several offspring. They roost communally at night and forage together by day.
This is an active, noisy bird with frequent contact calls exchanged between members of a group. A loud “peter-peter-peter” song is used in territorial defense and courtship displays by males.
Migration
The tufted titmouse is predominately non-migratory, remaining on breeding territories year-round across most of its range. Northern populations may make small southwards movements in winter while southern groups migrate altitudinally to lower elevations in winter.
Juveniles appear to disperse further from natal sites than adults. Young birds banded in Missouri, Wisconsin, and New York have been recovered up to 230 miles from banding sites.
Habitat and Foraging
This species frequents deciduous and mixed forests, mature woodlots, wooded parks, and suburban areas with trees. It forages actively in the lower-middle canopy, gleaning foliage and branches for insects and other small prey. The titmouse often joins mixed-species foraging flocks.
It prefers areas with a dense tree canopy and thick understory growth. Oak-hickory forests provide ideal habitat across much of its range. The tufted titmouse is a frequent visitor to bird feeders, especially for sunflower seeds.
Taxonomy and Classification
The tufted titmouse is classified scientifically as follows:
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Aves
- Order: Passeriformes
- Family: Paridae
- Genus: Baeolophus
- Species: Baeolophus bicolor
It was formerly placed in the genus Parus but was moved to Baeolophus based on molecular studies. The tufted titmouse forms a superspecies complex with the black-crested titmouse (Baeolophus atricristatus) of Texas and Mexico. These two species are closely related and sometimes considered conspecific.
There are four recognized subspecies of the tufted titmouse:
- Baeolophus bicolor bicolor – Eastern US and southeast Canada
- B. b. centex – Central Texas
- B. b. inornatus – Central US from Louisiana to Kansas
- B. b. texensis – Eastern Texas
Genus Baeolophus
The genus Baeolophus contains the tufted titmouse and black-crested titmouse. It is classified within the tit and chickadee family Paridae. These mid-sized songbirds have distinctive crests and black facial markings. They are native to North America.
Related Species
The tufted titmouse’s closest relative is the black-crested titmouse of central and southern Texas and Mexico. The two species have sometimes been considered conspecific in the past. Other close relatives in the Baeolophus genus included the bridled titmouse and oak titmouse of Mexico.
Other Titmice
Beyond Baeolophus, the tufted titmouse is related to other titmice in genus Parus, including the familiar species like the black-capped chickadee. Titmice are songbirds in the family Paridae, subfamily Parinae, which also includes chickadees and tits.
Importance to Humans
The tufted titmouse is an attractive and vocal backyard songbird that provides enjoyment for many people. It is popular at bird feeders, especially for sunflower seeds. This species is also appreciated for its insect-eating habits in forests.
It nests readily in bird houses put up for chickadees or titmice. Watching adults raise their young in nest boxes is interesting for many people. The tufted titmouse may also help control harmful tree pests like the gypsy moth through its predation on caterpillars.
Backyard Bird
With its bold appearance, loud whistles, and common presence, the tufted titmouse is a favorite backyard bird for many people across eastern and central North America.
Its willingness to come to feeders makes it readily observable. Birdseed like sunflower seeds, suet, and peanuts attract this species. Platform feeders are favored since they allow space for the titmouse’s feeding behaviors.
Pest Control
The tufted titmouse consumes many insects and caterpillars while foraging in forests and woodlots. This helps control outbreaks of pest species that can damage trees. Documented prey items include gypsy moth caterpillars, helping reduce this invasive species.
Cultural Depictions
The tufted titmouse appears in various cultural works given its familiarity across eastern North America:
- Poetry – referenced in works by poets like Robert Frost
- Music – inspires musical works and is mentioned in songs
- Art – illustrated by painters like John James Audubon
- Cartoons and illustrations – used as mascot for sports teams
Overall, the tufted titmouse is appreciated both for its aesthetic appeal as an attractive songbird, and for its lively presence around human settlements.
Conclusion
In summary, the tufted titmouse is a widespread and familiar songbird of eastern and central North America. It has a large range spanning southern Canada south to the Gulf Coast and west to the Great Plains. Originally limited south of the Ohio River, it dramatically expanded its range north and west over the past 150 years.
This species frequents forests and woodlots but also thrives in suburban parks and yards. It is easily attracted to bird feeders. The tufted titmouse plays an important role controlling insect pests in forests. With its bold appearance and loud voice, it provides enjoyment to millions of people across its range.