Tufted Titmouse - A Chickadee Ally

Tufted Titmouse

The Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) is a member of the Paridae family along with chickadees.  North American has 4 species of titmice and 7 of chickadees.  The Tufted Titmouse is uncommon here but usually one or a few appear every year.  One was seen on the Mactaquac Christmas Count on January 5 and one was seen at a feeder in Fredericton on January 8, just this week.  

The Tufted Titmouse is North America's most widespread titmouse.  It frequents urban and suburban habitats with lots of cover (trees, shrubs) and it readily uses feeders and nest boxes.   It feeds on insects, spiders, snails, berries, acorns and seeds.  It can often be seen searching for food on the ground in leaf litter.

Tufted Titmouse [Internet Photo]

The Tufted Titmouse, at 16 cm/ 6.3" in length, is larger than the Black-capped Chickadee.  At first glance one notices its light gray colour, its tuft,  and its long tail.  It has a small black patch on its forehead and a white belly with rusty or orange flanks.  Its bright eye and perky attitude make it stand out at your feeder. It is very vocal and those people who go south for the winter would recognize its 'peter peter peter'.  On cold, snowy days like we are having in New Brunswick right now, that would be a welcome sound!

We are not included in the normal range of this species.  Its range includes the eastern half of the US from the Great Lakes south to Texas and Florida.  It covers New England up to southern Maine.  So, occasionally a few over-shoot their range and end up here.  It would be nice if they were to become permanently resident here.  The first confirmed report was in  November, 1982, in Fredericton.  This species is non-migratory.  Those that end up here are undoubtedly young that have dispersed from the home territory.  There has not been a breeding record from here.  

An interesting fact about the Tufted Titmouse is that in Cherokee legend, they are regarded as messengers (iBirdPro).  That is not surprising, given their cheery song.  How nice it would be if we had a bigger population which could cheer us on towards spring with their 'peter peter peter'.