Tufted titmouse
The Tufted titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) is one of the most common neighborhood bird in Birmingham.
Physical characteristics
The tufted titmous' is a light gray bird with a white belly and a prominent crest that is usually displayed. It is around 6" in length with a 7.9-10.2" wingspan, and a weight of about .7 ounces. There is no sexual dimorphism in this species, meaning that both sexes look identical.
Natural history
The tufted titmouse is a year around resident of the eastern United States and is often seen at bird feeders, especially in the winter, when they hoard food. They tend to live in elevations lower than 2,000 feet above sea level in deciduous forests and suburban areas. Tufted titmice are often found amongst their cousin, the Carolina chickadee, eating insects in the summer and seeds and berries in the winter. Titmice can be very vocal birds, alerting other birds of the prescience of predators. Its song is a recognizable "peter, peter, peter".
The tufted titmouse pairs can be very territorial and aggressive during breeding season. They will lay 3-9 eggs in a cup shaped nest lined with the hair of any species of mammal available, including human hair. Titmice juveniles will stay in the same area as their parents for some time, and will even, rarely, help raise the next brood.
Conservation status
The tufted titmouse is listed as a species of "least concern" by the International Union of Conservation of Nature (IUCN), meaning that their populations are stable and under no immediate threat.
References
- Wilson, Jim and Anselm Atkins (2002) Common Birds of Birmingham 2nd edition. Decatur, Georgia: Hexagon Publishers ISBN 096672402X
- "Tufted Titmouse, Life History" All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology