What is a Titmouse?
By Mike • September 21, 2006 • 32 commentsFew American birds have the publicity problems of the titmouse. Even though they are numerous, if not downright gregarious throughout most of their range, despite the fact that the Tufted Titmouse is consistently one of the top ten most frequently reported species in the Great Backyard Bird Count, titmice lack the popularity of other common birds like cardinals, jays, doves, crows, or even their close cousins, chickadees. Why is this adorable, doll-eyed songbird so often ignored?
Tufted Titmouse
Perhaps it has to do with the name. A bird in the genus Baeolophus is neither a mouse nor…the other thing. The word titmouse descends from the Old English terms, tit (any small animal or object) and mase (small bird), essentially meaning one small, small bird. Though there is nothing inherently prurient about this critter’s cognomen, it’s within the realm of possibility that even the mere utterance of it inspires twittering and naughty feelings in some individuals, and is thus best avoided. It is worth pointing out that titmice belong to the family Paridae, an expansive international clan made up primarily of what we call “chickadees” in the states but are known as “tits” in the Old World. What do you expect of those decadent, debauched Europeans?
Perhaps titmice are overlooked because they aren’t as flashy as so many other everyday avians. Cardinals are scarlet, crows ebon, and Blue Jays exactly what you’d think they are. The tiny titmouse, on the other hand, possesses an understated, what some might call drab charm. Titmice are typically slate gray or gray-brown above with lighter underparts. Some have black markings, some are plain, and a bit of rusty orange along the flanks is about as flamboyant as they get. That erectile crest is elegant enough, but clearly not enough to put the bird on the map.
Still, I would guess that the titmouse enjoys more relative anonymity than other equally abundant birds because it is a birder’s bird. By this, I mean that it lacks the outsize effrontery of corvids, pigeons, and starlings. It doesn’t inspire the admiration that raptors and other big birds do. And with a name like that, it’s a safe bet that no sports teams will be named for it. Titmice really are everywhere throughout North America and many points north and south, but a person has to be looking to notice them.
Birders, because they look, notice them everywhere. Titmice are as firm a fixture at backyard feeders as the GBBC census suggests. These hardy little songbirds reside in their areas year-round and thus appear prominently in every birding season. Not only are they sociable with other birds, particularly chickadees and nuthatches, but they hardly mind the presence of people. No wonder titmice are successful across so many habitats. So be on the lookout. If you pay even the slightest attention anytime you’re in proximity to forest or feeder, you’re bound to hear the buzzy call or “peter, peter” song of a titmouse or spy its acrobatic antics. Just don’t make fun of its name.
Here are some fun titmouse facts:
- Don’t believe in global warming? The Tufted Titmouse (B. bicolor), like the Red-bellied Woodpecker and Turkey Vulture, has expanded its range dramatically to penetrate northern reaches. A half-century ago, this species might have been restricted to Iowa or New Jersey, but now it can be found throughout New England and even south-eastern Canada.
- The Black-crested or Mexican Titmouse (B. atricristatus) was once considered a subspecies of the Tufted Titmouse. This native of Oklahoma, Texas, and Mexico is now recognized as a separate species, but the two species will hybridize when they meet.
- Another instance of titmouse taxonomical tampering is the spinning of the Oak Titmouse (B. inornatus) and the Juniper Titmouse (B. ridgwayi) out of what was once the Plain Titmouse. The Oak Titmouse resides on the Pacific Slope from southern Oregon to the Baja, while the Juniper is a bird of the Great Basin and desert riparian woods as far south as Arizona, Texas, and Mexico. And yes, these birds are named for the vegetation that they favor.
- The Bridled Titmouse (B.wollweberi) looks like the missing link between titmice and chickadees, bearing the gray back and crest of the former and the black chin of the latter. This bird ranges from southeastern Arizona down through interior Mexico.
Tags: chickadees and tits, titmice
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Tufted Titmouse is an unusual find in northwest Wisconsin. I noticed a pair at the my feeder on Valentine’s day – Here is a link to a view of one of those birds: http://www.pbase.com/undieyatch/image/109202473
Hello,
I have a very friendly titmouse. Actually he wants to come in my house. for over two weeks now he has been tapping in the morning outside my bedroom deck …. Then later in the day he is down on the front porch tapping on the glass of the storm door.
the first day he went around to all the windows and tapped and flew up and down…. not injuring himself….. Hope he doesn’t go….. I live in Southern Chester County Pa.
i have a titmouse trying to come in my house he is tapping on all my windows and chirpping very loudly i think maybe he sees his reflection on the window and believes its another bird i pray he dont hurt himself hes so fun to watch
if any one has this same bird doing the window tapping please e mail me its a titmouse!
I have seen my first titmouse today. I have a bluebird house, opened it up today to check on the nest and out fly the mother titmouse, almost hit me square in the face. I watched it for two hours today bringing in things to build the nest. I live in Louisianna USA.
I think they are pretty birds to watch. I wished though it would have been my bluebirds.
I am interested in Star & Lee’s comments. I too have a titmouse that is very friendly. He taps on all of our windows and seems to want in the house as he runs into the window. He sits on a hook outside our window and sings all day! I, too, was wondering if he was seeing his reflection in the window. Any thoughts??
No doubt, star is correct. Songbirds don’t want to actually enter homes unless those homes are furnished entirely in seeds, suet, and gnats. It is much more likely that the titmice in question are either crashing into windows or attacking their reflections. The latter behavior will subside once breeding season ends. The former may be mitigated by raptor decals on your windows.
I am amazed as I thought I was witnessing a blue tit tapping on my window today. I came accross this web site by doing a general internet search asking if it is common for this bird to want to enter a house. I live in a tiny village called Pleshey in Essex, United Kingdom. It is such a beauty to watch, I suspect it is a titmous looking at the picutre above although my friend has a lot of yellow on him too….
Hi Michelle. You wouldn’t have a titmouse in your yard in the UK. A blue or some other species of tit is much more likely. This time of year, birds are feeling rather aggressive and won’t hesitate to attack their own reflections in windows!
We have a pair that moved into a bird house we bought at a local yard sale. Nothing fancy. The day after we hung, they moved in. Now tonight, we noticed “squeaks”. Low and behold there are 5 chicks in our TMH (TitMouse House). I loved watching them when they were building their nest. They are IMHO my favorite little bird. . . .
Well is breeding season over? Because we have two titmice that are pecking at windows on opposite sides of the house – one is like a regular alarm clock – every morning as soon as it gets light…
Mike,
I just discovered this site of yours when I was researching information on Juniper Titmice. We live in what I call a wilderness area in the White Mountains of Arizona. I am the self acclaimed “Bird Lady” of Vernon, Arizona. We are over 7,000 ft. and very arid. I have been providing water, bird houses, seeds, suet etc. for five years now. It is absolutely amazing how many varies of birds I have attracted to our oasis in a five year period. I take great photos of them all. I would be happy to share them with you. As for Titmice coming in the house, I have photos to prove it to you. We think the doggie door was their access, but a couple of years ago, we woke up to Titmice, Juncos, Pine Siskin and Chickadees in our house on winter mornings. (Hummingbirds in the summer). At our home in Albuquerque, I tamed Scrub Jays. They would take peanuts from my hand and come into the house whenever I would leave the door open to help themselves to pecans I kept in a basket. Please take your time and e mail me at joyjeffrey@msn.com to let me know an e mail address where I could send you some of my photos. I think you would like them. Joy
[...] love watching these little ones visit the feeder, and what a perfect name. Click on pictures to enlarge. © Chris Taylor © Chris [...]
I have been watching several tufted titmice the last few weeks. I thought my cat had greatly increased her eating habits. Lo and behold, I discovered the titmice have turned into cat-burglars. They have a steady stream of well-trained warriors that fly to the cat food bowl, grab a bite, and then fly off to their respective trees. Cali (aka miss kitty) has discovered this recently and is considering a black op to put a stop to their nefarious deeds. As we have had quite a bit more snow for our area lately, I’m pulling for the birds
i think that there is titmouse at my grandmas house and they are always eatting the cherries they kind of look like bluejays how do we get them to stop eatting the cherries
For years we’ve had feeders in our yard in Ohio. So we’re familiar with all the different birds, their beautiful songs and habits (like sitting on our deck or in the close trees “telling” us to fill the feeders again)! For the past 5 days an adorable Titmouse has been coming and tapping on the living room window, patio window and chirping like crazy. It doesn’t fly into the window, just hovers at the windows/doors, then leaves, only to return a few hours later. It repeats this over and over during the day. My question is: why is it doing this? We know the Titmouse is a friendly bird but we’re just concerned it will injure itself. thanks for answering
Hi Pat in Ohio,
We live in the White Mountains of Arizona at over 7,000 ft. We have lots of Juniper Titmice…in fact they have raised families for 4-5 years, using the same bird house that is on our house next to a window. We have observed their behavior for a number of years. The male and females look alike. The male feeds the female while she is sitting on her eggs. The Titmice love Safflower seed, but they don’t eat them while raising their broods…instead they only eat insects…caterpillars are their favorite food! Each time the male has an insect to feed his mate while she is sitting on her eggs, or when he has “food” for their hatchings, we have observed the male will sit on a near-by limb and chatter to his mate until he thinks it is safe. We also observe “mated” couples carrying on much as you describe…as if it is a mating ritual. Both male and females take turns feeding their hatchlings. I believe there may be a nest in the area of your living room window and the Titmice are announcing to their partner they are there or the male may be trying to distract outsiders from the nest. BTW one of my Arizona Bird Books describes the Titmouse as a, “Drab little bird”. NOT! It is a precious bird and in no way is it “drab”. They partner raising their families and are extremely good parents.
Came home to see 3 “dead” titmice in my front garden. Thought that they crashed into the house. They then one by one stood up, shook their wings and flew away to a tree. Is this a mating ritual or were they sunning themselves? I have never seen a bird do this.
Joy, thanks for your response and the info! Our adorable (NOT drab) Titmouse is still here and we’ve noticed the past 2 days that he/she is leaving seed on the window sills/patio window and is even leaving a seed or two on our car! I’m thinking this precious bird is in love with his own reflection and is offering “gifts”? But, do realize that their just may be a nest nearby so really thank you for that info.
On another note, we have a daughter living in Sierra Vista and teaching at Ft. Huachuca so very nice to see your post. thanks again………..Pat
Outside my office window at home, on the deck, little brown and tan birds come to visit, lite for a moment or two, and then be about their business. Some look directly at me. They seem very friendly, and I have seen two sit right next to each other on the railing. The crest is hardly visible, and the beak is a tad longer and eyes a bit smaller than the tufted titmouse. I so enjoy them each day. Do they sound like a type of titmouse? Upstate New York.
I took down my old feeder last Spring after the glass tube broke & didn’t find a new one until last week. My new feeder is an orb made of recycled glass screwed to a round platform with a 3-1/2″ rim.
The first birds to try it were a pair of Titmice. I am rather fond of the little gray cuties! They backed off a pair of Chickadees trying to horn in. The Titmice are first to arrive in the morning, too. What a pleasure to share my morning coffee with them!
Today a female Cardinal was sitting on the platform, swinging in the wind & looking around the yard for over a half hour. I wonder if she’s the same one that sat on my old feeder’s narrow rim. There’s something about her sitting, swinging & looking around for so long that gives me a sense of contentment.
I have a pair of Titmouse at my feeder and at first I thought they was new born Blue Jays, because of the flip on top of the head. So I looked it up.
But I only have two. I have only seen them twice all winter.
I have a lot of Titmice, maybe 15 to 20, 10 set’s of Gray Doves, 30 to 35 Cardinal’s, 4 Chicadee’s, 2 Blue Jay’s, and I don’t know how many Purple Throated Fench, And last but not least 2 downey Wood Pecker’s.
They are my pride out of all the bird’s. They are such gracful bird’s when they fly, It’s like Fred and Ginger dancing together.
I have a very friendly titmouse…it likes to land on my head and pull my hair…this has been going on for over a week now…today though, my husband and I were both sitting on the deck and the little titmouse, which I named George, landed on his head first and started pulling his hair and then decided to visit my head to do the same…I love watching all birds, but I really have enjoyed this little fellow…
We have a titmouse nest in one of our bluebird houses in Clayton, NC. The little ones are about to fledge. This is our first siting of the titmouse in 5 years at this home. Previously, the birdhouse has been occupied by blue birds and house wrens. Mom and pop really fill up the house with feathers and lots of soft materials. The little ones are larger than their blue bird counterparts. Mom and pop are dliligent feeders, too busy to play with us so far.
I have a Titmouse nest in my carport. The birds re-use the same nest every year. I think they might be a hybrid because on of the adult birds doesn’t have a tuft. They now have four little ones. I live in New Mexico. Maybe they are juniper or oak or plain species. What do they look like?
The ‘Tufted Titmice’ is my favorite bird, and I have over 20 different species that like to ‘hang out’ pretty much ‘year round’ at my bird feeder right outside of my office window where I spend much of my time. They are the most precious little creatures, and they bring me ‘much joy’! I am curious though about why the titmice and the chickadee’s never leave each other’s side? I understand that they are ‘related’, but I think that several of my titmice and chickadee’s actually ‘love each other’, as they seem to never part. Do they stay in a monogamous relationship with each other throughout their lives, as do cardinals? Thanks for any help in answering this question. Sincerely, Karla Prudhomme
[...] in the world you live? Must be the way you’re dressed…The best bird of my weekend was Tufted Titmouse, which has become more prominent here as we approach winter. I forgot how much bigger these birds [...]
I am pretty sure i have two or maybe three of these coming into my feeder, in Pa. They are the grayish back orange line under wings , pure snow whit belly , the black around the eye and black beak, also the little cone on the top of the head.
The Titmouse is not trying to come in your home, they are simply seeing their reflection in the glass. They think it another bird
If there are 2 tufted titmice sitting on a branch and a 3rd one want to sit, will it squeeze in between the two. And if a third one comes to rest, will it squeeze in between the others? That is what my mother told me……
I am watching quite a number for these birds feeding at my feeder along with hundreds of Cardnals on a Sunday morning in Jefferson City Missouri
I have a bird house on my deck. This is the second year the little
gray tufted birds have built a nest. I can watch them from my easy
chair. I also have a bird feeder outside my kitchen window where I
have a good view of their feeding. They are such a delight and
bring me such peace. We are here in Santa Rosa, Calif.