Birding at MOSI Outside: Tufted Titmouse

It's a rare morning lately that doesn't bring a small group of Tufted Titmice to our feeder here at MOSI Outside, as well as the live oaks and winged elms nearby. These little birds are fast moving, quickly flitting from tree to feeder and back again, in the blink of an eye.

The Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) is common in most of the eastern half of the U.S., with the exception of high elevations, and has been spreading northward in the last century or so. In 1947, an article by the Smithsonian noted that the northern edge of its range was Pennsylvania, but the Tufted Titmouse is found today up through Maine and Wisconsin. Florida is the southern end of its range, with an interesting range pattern in the state (see the eBirds spotting map for details). It appears to be common in the north and central parts of the state, as well as down most of the west coast, but almost entirely absent from the east coast of the state from Vero Beach to Miami. There are occasional spottings in the Everglades and Keys, but almost none in the farmlands around Okeechobee.

Tufted Titmice love bird feeders, and will use them to build up stored caches of food in trees and shrubbery nearby. They invariably select the largest seeds, and crack them to get rid of the shells before storing. They do this by placing the shell between their feet and hitting it sharply with their bill. Sometimes they fly off to a nearby tree to do this, but if they feel safe enough will do it right on the feeder where they find the seed.

The Tufted Titmouse is non-migratory, and males and females look alike year-round. They don't visit feeders as often in the summer, since they prefer insects when available, so you may not notice them as often then, but their familiar whistling "peter-peter-peter" call is heard all year long. Titmouse pairs mate for life, and often stay within specific territory as well, so there's a good chance that the titmice we see on a regular basis here on the grounds are actually the same family of birds. It's common for at least one member of a brood to stay with their parents until the next nesting season, so they're frequently seen in small groups of 3 - 5 birds, working together as a family to harvest food. 

Tufted Titmice are cavity nesters, but they lack the stout bills needed to create their own cavities in trees. They rely on others like woodpeckers to create cavities, and use those for nesting once other birds have abandoned them. Leaving a dead tree in the woods or on an empty lot is a great way to help these birds during nesting season. The Back Woods Nature Preserve at MOSI is full of good nesting spots for these birds, as their healthy population attests.