These birds have grey upperparts and white underparts with a white face, a grey crest, a dark forehead and a short stout bill; they have rust-coloured flanks. The Black-crested Titmouse, which is found in central and southern Texas and was considered to be a subspecies of this bird, is now considered a separate species.Their breeding habitat is deciduous and mixed woods in southeastern Canada and the eastern United States. They nest in a hole in a tree, either a natural cavity or sometimes an old woodpecker nest. They line the nest with soft materials, sometimes plucking hair from a live animal such as a dog. Sometimes, a bird born the year before remains to help its parents raise the next year's young. The pair may remain together and defend their territory year-round.These birds are permanent residents and often join small mixed flocks in winter.They forage actively on branches, sometimes on the ground, mainly eating insects, especially caterpillars, but also seeds, nuts and berries. They will store food for later use.The song is usually described as a whistled peter-peter-peter. They make a variety of different sounds, most having a similar tone quality.This bird's range is expanding northwards, possibly with the increased availability of food at bird feeders.
Christmas Bird Count show that the Tufted Titmouse has expanded steadily northwards in the 20th Century. The animated map includes all sightings of Tufted Titmice during Christmas Bird Counts in 10-year intervals, starting from 1901 to the present.
Project Feederwatch results showing the range of Tufted Titmouse in 1995.
@
To learn more about "The Wild Parrots Of Telegraph Hill", click the picture above.
