If a small gray bird with a tiny pointed crest and oversized black eyes is staring at you from a feeder, you just met a Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor). They look almost cartoon-like in their proportions, and they are one of the boldest backyard birds you will meet.
What it looks like
Adults are about 17cm long, smaller than a sparrow but with a big head. The back, wings, and tail are soft gray. The belly is white with a peachy orange wash along the sides under the wings. A dark patch sits just above the bill, and the spiky crest gives the bird a permanent surprised expression. Males and females look identical.
When and where
- Season: Year round. They do not migrate.
- Habitat: Mature deciduous woods, suburban yards with big trees, parks with old oaks and hickories.
- Best time: Mornings at a sunflower feeder, or anytime you hear a loud, clear "peter peter peter" whistle.
Seed thieves with a plan
Titmice are members of the chickadee family and they share the habit of carrying seeds away one at a time. A titmouse will land on a feeder, pick the heaviest sunflower seed it can find, fly to a branch, hold the seed under its feet, and hammer it open with the beak. In fall they hide seeds in bark cracks all over their territory and remember the locations for the winter. A single bird can cache hundreds of seeds in a few weeks.
Spot one this weekend
Tufted titmice are Common across the eastern US from Florida up to southern New England and west to the Great Plains. Hang a tube feeder filled with black-oil sunflower seed near a tree and wait. They usually arrive within a day of a new feeder. Listen for the whistled "peter peter peter" call and look up, since they often sing from the highest branch.