March…

Tufted Titmouse

The official hoarder of the bird community

This little gray bird is a frequent visitor to back yard bird feeders, especially in winter. I know, winter is almost over, but you’ll still enjoy these birds no matter what season it is. Titmice prefer sunflower seeds but will eat suet, peanuts and other seeds as well. The Rock Pile’s Songbird Feast would be a Titmouse’s favorite feed. Tufted Titmice hoard food in fall and winter, a behavior they share with many relatives like chickadees. Titmice take advantage of a bird feeder’s bounty by storing many of the seeds they get. Usually, the storage sites are within 130 feet of the feeder. The birds take only one seed per trip and usually shell the seeds before hiding them. In summer, Titmice eat mainly insects including caterpillars, beetles, ants, wasps, stink bugs and tree-hoppers as well as spiders and snails. Talk about pest control!

They build their nests in cavities but they can’t excavate their own nest cavities, so putting up nest boxes is a good way to attract breeding titmice to your yard. Tufted Titmice often line the inner cup of their nest with hair, sometimes plucked directly from living animals. The list of hair types identified from old nests includes raccoons, opossums, mice, woodchucks, squirrels, rabbits, livestock, pets, and even humans.

Press play to hear the Tufted Titmouse

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