Fun Tufted Titmouse Facts For Kids

The tufted titmouse is a small songbird who is a part of the tit bird and chickadee bird family. The name of their genus Baeolophus means that they are small crested. These birds usually live in smaller parties with parents and their offspring in well-vegetated areas. These birds are quite active and noisy. They make a variety of noises that can be a whistle, a song or even a monotonous sound. Human beings can actually call the tufted titmouse near them by imitating their sounds or the calls that they make. The black-crested titmouse was once thought to be a subspecies of tufted titmouse but has become its own species. They live most of their lives in their nests in trees in order to avoid predators.

If you liked this article with amazing tufted titmouse facts, then also check out the other articles with facts about birds of paradise and barn owls!

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What type of animal is a Tufted Titmouse?

A tufted titmouse is a type of bird.

What class of animal does a Tufted Titmouse belong to?

A tufted titmouse belongs to the class of Aves.

How many Tufted Titmice are there in the world?

Since tufted titmice are a common type of songbird found in North America, it has been difficult to calculate their exact population. However, scientists and researchers have noted that the population of the bird has increased from 1996 to 2005 by over 1.5% per year especially in the United States of America.

Where does a Tufted Titmouse live?

Tufted titmice primarily inhabit the United States of America and are native to the riverside areas in the states of Ohio and Mississippi. They are common on the eastern side of the Great Plains and in the forests of southeastern, eastern, and midwestern parts of the USA. These birds can also be found in the southern parts of Ontario in Canada.

What is a Tufted Titmouse's habitat?

A tufted titmouse's preferred habitat is in the terrestrial and temperate, deciduous forests. These birds prefer deciduous or mixed woodlands which are mostly moist in nature. Therefore, this species prefers swamps and river basins as their natural habitat. Tufted titmice can also be found in city parks and suburban areas as well if they are rich in deciduous wood and trees.

Who do Tufted Titmice live with?

Tufted titmice can survive alone as well but they are not solitary birds. During fall and winter, these small birds flock together to roost. They build large nests or nest boxes in forests where the birds of the species can share warmth and body heat during the harsh winter months. Male tufted titmice are dominant over the females.

How long does a Tufted Titmouse live?

A tufted titmouse lives for approximately two years. However, if left in the wild, these birds can live for up to 10 years.

How do they reproduce?

A male and female pair of the tufted titmice species form a mating bond during the breeding season. This pair detaches themselves from the rest of the flock, after fall and winter, and in February they prepare for the breeding season. Tufted titmice complete their breeding in trees and nests during the warm months between March and May. The female bird may deliver a brood of eggs once or twice a year. Each delivery consists of between five and seven eggs. Male and female tufted titmice both reach sexual maturity when they turn one year old. After breeding is complete, the approximate time it takes for the eggs to hatch is up to 17 days. The usual fledgling age for these babies is between 17 - 18 days.

What is their conservation status?

The International Union for Conservation of Nature has listed the tufted titmouse (Baeolophus Bicolor) under the Least Concern category. This shows that the birds of this family or species are not at risk of extinction anytime soon and its population is stable and increasing enough to not cause any alarm.

What do Tufted Titmice look like?

These birds have a white front with a grey upper body. The gray-colored part is outlined with rust or orange-colored feathers nears its chest. They have black eyes and are black-crested as well. The tufted crest on their heads is mostly grey or black in color.

How cute are they?

Tufted titmice are very cute! With their sweet sounds and small, colorful bodies, they make a very charming picture perched in bird feeders, their nest, or on branches of trees.

How do they communicate?

The tufted titmouse mostly communicates with each other by using a variety of sounds that they can make. They have different types of calls which they apply in different situations. In addition to that, these birds also use different body movements and postures to communicate.

How big is a Tufted Titmouse?

Adult tufted titmice are usually as long as  5.5 - 6.3 in (14 - 16 cm). Their wingspan is usually 9 - 11 in ( 23 - 28 cm) long.

An African buffalo is almost 10 times the size of a tufted titmouse.

How fast can a Tufted Titmouse fly?

Since the tufted titmouse is a very small bird, it cannot fly very fast.

How much does a Tufted Titmouse weigh?

Tufted titmice are one of the smallest North American birds. A tufted titmouse usually weighs between 0.6 lb - 0.9 lb (0.018 kg - 0.026 kg).

What are their male and female names of the species?

Tufted titmice do not have separate names for the male and female birds of their species. Therefore, scientists just denote them by calling them male and female tufted titmouse.

What would you call a baby Tufted Titmouse?

A baby tufted titmouse is often called a nestling as is usual for the birds of the songbird species.

What do they eat?

Tufted titmice mostly eat a variety of insects for food. Apart from insects, it also eats invertebrate animals such as caterpillars, snails, spiders, or moths. They also eat berries and seeds for food which they break with their bill. They prefer to eat sunflower seeds or suet seeds in their bird feeders or a nest. This is why many humans use seeds to lure these birds to their bird feeders or nest.

Are they dangerous?

The tufted titmouse may not be as dangerous as its predators but at times, it can get quite aggressive. Some of the high-frequency sounds they make actually show their aggressiveness and may even lead to a mobbing of these birds! However, these birds are not very aggressive to humans and can even reach a level of comfort and familiarity with them if the humans are friendly and set up feeders, nests, or nest boxes in trees in their backyard. If the bird notices a steady supply of food and seeds in these feeders, nest boxes, or nests, they may even go near the human and pluck the seeds right from their hands! This is why birds of this species and similar species are often also known as backyard birds.

Would they make a good pet?

Tufted titmice might be somewhat friendly to humans but they are still wild songbirds. Therefore, they cannot be tamed very easily. However, if humans construct a nest or bird feeders for them, especially with sunflower seeds or seeds nuts, the birds may feel safe enough to approach the humans. However, they will not make good pets as they cannot be tamed or trained easily.

Did you know...

Male and female tufted titmice form mating pairs or bonds during the breeding season which lasts for their entire lifetime till one of them dies.

A group of titmice collectively are known as 'banditry' or 'dissimulation'.

What does a tufted titmouse sound like?

Since the tufted titmouse (scientific name Baeolophus Bicolor) is a type of songbird, the sounds it can make are quite unique and diverse. Tufted titmouse songs or the tufted titmouse call can be quite melodious. Most commonly, they make a whistling sound that resembles 'Peter-Peter-Peter' or 'Peto-Peto-Peto'!  There are around 10 - 20 sounds associated with the tufted titmouse which are divided into two groups, low-frequency sounds, and high-frequency sounds.

Do titmice migrate?

Tufted titmice are not commonly migratory birds and stay in their nest throughout winter.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds including the secretary bird and the blue and yellow macaw.

You can even occupy yourself at home by drawing one on our tufted titmouse coloring pages.