Biology:Tufted titmouse
| Tufted titmouse | |
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| Tufted titmouse in winter | |
| File:Tufted Titmouse call.ogg | |
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Paridae |
| Genus: | Baeolophus |
| Species: | B. bicolor
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| Binomial name | |
| Baeolophus bicolor (Linnaeus, 1766)
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| Approximate distribution map
Year-round
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| Synonyms | |
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Parus bicolor Linnaeus, 1766 | |
The tufted titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) is a small songbird from North America, a species in the tit and chickadee family (Paridae). The black-crested titmouse, found from central and southern Texas southward,[2] was included as a subspecies but now is considered a separate species, Baeolophus atricristatus.[3]
Taxonomy
The genus name Baeolophus translates to small crested and is a compound of the Ancient Greek words βαιός: baiós—"small", and λόφος: "lόphοs"—crest. The species name bicolor means two-colored.
Description
Measurements:[4]
- Length: 5.5–6.3 in (14–16 cm)
- Weight: 0.6–0.9 oz (17–26 g)
- Wingspan: 7.9–10.2 in (20–26 cm)
These small birds have a white front and grey upper body outlined with rust colored flanks. Other characteristics include their black foreheads and the tufted grey crest on their heads.[5] In juveniles, the black forehead is greatly diminished such that they may be confused with the oak titmouse (although their ranges do not overlap). Males tend to be larger than females.[6]
The song of the tufted titmouse is usually described as a whistled peter-peter-peter, although this song can vary in approximately 20 notable ways.[7]
Distribution and habitat
Its habitat is deciduous and mixed woods as well as gardens, parks, and shrublands. Although the tufted titmouse is non-migratory and originally native to the Ohio and Mississippi River basins, factors such as bird feeders have caused these birds to occupy a larger territory across the United States and stretching into Ontario and Quebec in Canada.[5][6][8] During the second half of the 20th century and into the 21st century, the species' range has been expanding northwards.[4]
Behavior and ecology
The tufted titmouse gathers food from the ground and from tree branches, frequently consuming a variety of berries, nuts, seeds, small fruits, insects, and other invertebrates. Caterpillars constitute a major part of its diet during the summer. This species is also a regular visitor to bird feeders.[9] Its normal pattern is to scout a feeder from cover, fly in to take a seed, then fly back to shelter to consume the morsel, though caching is also very common.[10][11]
The titmouse can demonstrate curiosity regarding humans and sometimes will perch on a window ledge and seem to be peering into the house. It may also cling to the windows and walls of buildings seeking prey in wasp and hornet nests.[citation needed]
Titmice are very vocal and will respond to sounds of agitation in other birds.[4] This species readily forms small flocks, known as troupes or banditries, which often associate with chickadees and other passerines when foraging.[12]
Breeding
Tufted titmice nest in a hole in a tree, either a natural cavity, a human-made nest box, or sometimes an old woodpecker nest.[13] They line the nest with soft materials, sometimes plucking hair from a live animal such as a dog.[14] If they find snake skin sheds, they may incorporate pieces into their nest.[15] Eggs measure under 1 inch (2.5 centimetres) long and are white or cream-colored with brownish or purplish spots.[16] Eggs have an incubation period of 12–14 days; titmice will then remain nestlings for 15–16 days.[4]
The lifespan of the tufted titmouse is approximately 2.1 years, although it can live for more than ten years.[17] On average, these birds will have a clutch size of five to seven eggs.[18] Unlike many birds, the offspring of tufted titmice will often stay with their parents during the winter and even after the first year of their life.[19] Sometimes, a bird born the year before will help its parents raise the next year's young.[20]
Tufted titmice will occasionally hybridize with the black-crested titmouse; the hybridization range is very narrow, however, because of genetic differences.[6]
Status
From 1966 to 2015 the tufted titmouse population has increased by more than 1.5% per year throughout the northeastern U.S.[21] The current breeding population is estimated to be approximately 8 million.[4]
Gallery
At a bird feeder.
Facing forward.
With a seed.
Fluffed up while preening.
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crop.jpg)
References
- ↑ BirdLife International (2016). "Baeolophus bicolor". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T22711983A94314102. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22711983A94314102.en. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22711983/94314102. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
- ↑ Kaufman, Kenn (13 November 2014). "Black-crested Titmouse". National Audubon Society. https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/black-crested-titmouse.
- ↑ Banks, Richard C.; Cicero, Carla; Dunn, Jon L.; Kratter, Andrew W.; Rasmussen, Pamela C.; Remsen, J. V.; Rising, James D.; Stotz, Douglas F. (1 July 2002). "Forty-Third Supplement to The American Ornithologists' Union Check-List of North American Birds". The Auk 119 (3): 897–906. doi:10.1093/auk/119.3.897. https://academic.oup.com/auk/article/119/3/897/5562277. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 "Tufted Titmouse Identification, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology" (in en). https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Tufted_Titmouse/id.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 McCommons, James (2003). "Tufted Titmouse". Emmaus 50: 16. ProQuest 203733124.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) General Biology |" (in en-US). https://pages.vassar.edu/sensoryecology/tufted-titmouse-baeolophus-bicolor-general-biology/.
- ↑ Grubb, Thomas C. (1998) (in en). Tufted Titmouse. Stackpole Books. ISBN 9780811729673. https://books.google.com/books?id=QMfbC_7Wvm8C.
- ↑ "Tufted Titmouse". http://www.ohiobirds.org/obba2/pdfs/species/TuftefTitmouse.pdf.
- ↑ Montgomery, Sy. "Titmouse". Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/animal/titmouse. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
- ↑ "Tufted Titmouse" (in en). 2014-11-13. https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/tufted-titmouse.
- ↑ "Tufted Titmouse - Diet". National Audubon Society. 13 November 2014. https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/tufted-titmouse.
- ↑ Parnell, Marc (2022) (in English). Birds of Connecticut (The Birding Pro's Field Guides). Cleveland, Ohio: Naturalist & Traveler Press. pp. 214–215. ISBN 978-1-954228-27-6.
- ↑ Laskey, Amelia. "Some Tufted Titmouse Life History". https://sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/journals/jfo/v028n03/p0135-p0145.pdf.
- ↑ "Tufted Titmouse, Audubon Field Guide". 13 November 2014. https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/tufted-titmouse.
- ↑ Medlin, Elizabeth C.; Risch, Thomas S. (2006). "An Experimental Test Of Snake Skin Use To Deter Nest Predation" (in en). The Condor 108 (4): 963. doi:10.1650/0010-5422(2006)108[963:aetoss2.0.co;2]. ISSN 0010-5422. https://zenodo.org/record/956844.
- ↑ "Common Nesting birds - Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor)". Nest Watch. https://nestwatch.org/learn/focal-species/tufted-titmouse/.
- ↑ Elder, William H. (1985). "Survivorship in the Tufted Titmouse". Wilson Bull 97: 517–524. https://sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/journals/wilson/v097n04/p0517-p0524.pdf.
- ↑ Laskey, Amelia R. (July 1957). "Some Tufted Titmouse Life History". Bird-Banding 28 (3): 135–145. doi:10.2307/4510633. https://sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/journals/jfo/v028n03/p0135-p0145.pdf.
- ↑ Pravosudova, Elena V.; Grubb, Thomas C.; Parker, Patricia G.; Doherty, Paul F. (1999). "Patch Size and Composition of Social Groups in Wintering Tufted Titmice". The Auk 116 (4): 1152–1155. doi:10.2307/4089699.
- ↑ "All About Birds - Tufted Titmouse". Cornell Lab of Ornithology. https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Tufted_Titmouse/overview.
- ↑ "Tufted & Black-crest. Titmou Baeolophus bicolor/atricrista". U.S. Geological Survey. https://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/bbs/tr2015/trend2015_v3.html.
External links
- "Tufted titmouse media". Internet Bird Collection. http://www.hbw.com/ibc/species/tufted-titmouse-baeolophus-bicolor.
- Tufted titmouse species account – Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Tufted titmouse – Baeolophus bicolor – USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter
- Tufted titmouse photo gallery at VIREO (Drexel University)
Wikidata ☰ Q738534 entry
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