Last Updated on January 27, 2024 by Greg Gillson
Whether you call them Tufted Titmice or Tufted Titmouses, these cute little birds are a joy to have at your bird feeder! They readily visit bird feeders across the eastern United States.
How do you attract Tufted Titmice to your feeder? Follow these suggestions to attract Tufted Titmice to your yard.
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| Tufted Titmouse. Richard Cane. Flickr. Public Domain. |
Why attract Tufted Titmice to your bird feeder?
Tufted Titmice are interesting, entertaining and social birds. They aren’t overly afraid of people. Thus, they visit backyards regularly. They’ll soon become one of your favorite feeder birds.
They are especially attracted to feeders in winter. If there are any in your neighborhood, it won’t be long until they find your feeder.
They switch to eating insects in summer. They eat ants, beetles, wasps and caterpillars in your yard. That’s an added benefit.
Even if you don’t see them, they give themselves away with their songs and calls. In spring they sing a loud whistled: Peter-Peter-Peter! At other times of year they call back and forth with nasal calls and chickadee-like sounds.
Their numbers are increasing. They are expanding their range northward to southeastern Canada. Your bird feeders are making this range expansion possible. You are providing food to help them survive in winter so they can breed in spring!
The Tufted Titmouse is a year-round resident. If they come to your feeder in winter, look for them all year round. They nest in old woodpecker holes and in nest boxes. Wouldn’t a family of titmice liven up your yard?
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| Tufted Titmouse. Rodney Campbell. Flickr. CC-BY-2.0 |
What foods will attract Tufted Titmice to your feeder?
Tufted Titmice love sunflower seeds. Black oil sunflower seed is preferred, but they will eat striped sunflowers and sunflower kernels.
These birds also love peanut pieces or whole peanuts out of the shell.
They will eat acorns and beech nuts, too.
Did you know? Tufted Titmice tend to eat the largest seeds they can find at your feeder.
The best mixed bird seed that I have found is Wagner’s Songbird Supreme. It is 50% sunflower seeds and doesn’t have any cheap filler seed that birds won’t eat. There are lesser amounts of peanut pieces, safflower seed, and millet. This seed attracts the largest variety of birds to your feeder.
Suet is also a favorite winter food of the Tufted Titmouse. They will like those with nuts, berries, or peanut-butter flavor.
For my home feeders, I always purchase St Albans Bay Suet blocks. It comes in several flavors, including peanut and berry. They fit in required special suet cages, which are a type of bird feeder.
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| Tufted Titmouse. John Brighenti. Flickr. CC-BY-2.0 |
What kind of feeders do Tufted Titmice like?
Tufted Titmice are not too particular about the type of bird feeder they like. It’s more about the food than the feeder. These birds just aren’t all that particular about either one. That’s why they are such a favorite feeder bird. So easy to attract!
Thus, the common hopper feeder is just fine for them. They’ll also eat from platform feeders and tube feeders.
I really love the way my iBorn tube feeder looks, with it’s copper top. A screwdriver takes off the lower perch and opens it up for cleaning. This feeder filled with black oil sunflower seeds attracts all types of finches, chickadees, and nuthatches. The smaller perches and lack of tray mean that you’ll have fewer House Sparrows, Starlings, Doves, and Jays at this feeder.
And they’ll eat from suet feeders in winter, too. A regular suet cage is fine. But if Starlings or jays are a problem at your suet feeder, consider an upside-down-suet feeder.
I bought a Nature’s Way Upside-down suet feeder a couple years ago and have been very happy with it. Chickadees, nuthatches, bushtits, and woodpeckers eat from it easily. But starlings, blackbirds, and jays can’t hang upside down to get at the suet.
Where to place your bird feeder for Tufted Titmice
An ideal feeder for Tufted Titmice would be one about 5 feet high and placed about 15 feet out from your house with a small tree next to it. Birds will fly first to the tree (a staging perch) before landing on the feeder. Keeping the feeder raised prevents sneak cat attacks.
Once they know the feeder is save, though, they’ll likely fly directly to it. They aren’t shy.
They’ll come to deck railing and even window feeders. So, any placement of feeders is fine. Pole mounted, hanging, it doesn’t matter with these tolerant birds.
One big consideration for feeder placement is that you can see it from your favorite viewing window. What window will you be watching birds from? From you living room easy chair? Kitchen window while cooking? Sliding glass door? Make sure you can see it!
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| Tufted Titmouse. Sergiy Galyonkin. Flickr. CC-BY-SA-2.0 |
How else can you attract Tufted Titmice to your yard?
Tufted Titmice will come to yards with deciduous trees, especially taller ones. They’ll search for summer insects in these trees.
In fall and winter they may eat berries and nuts. They are attracted to elderberry, oak, beech, hickory, and pine for the berries and nuts.
You can attract Tufted Titmice to your yard with water. They especially like moving water, such as a fountain. But they will come to bird baths for bathing and drinking.
Make sure that the bird bath is shallow (1/2 inch of water, not filled 2 inches deep!) and that it isn’t slippery. Try not to use one of those pretty glazed bird baths. The birds may not like them. The traditional cement bird bath is best, but a roughed plastic surface is fine, too.
They’ll do just fine with a shallow dish of water, such as a terracotta earthenware saucer normally found under a flower pot. As these are small birds they might like to wade in. So keep the water to a half inch deep or less.
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| Tufted Titmouse. Anne773. Pixabay |
Problems with Tufted Titmice: If you have attracted too many to your feeder
You shouldn’t ever have a problem attracting too many Tufted Titmice.
But sometimes local authorities may warn of birds falling ill to communicable diseases. These are usually spread by finches and siskins that feed in huge flocks. But such finch illnesses can spread to other birds.
In this case, you should stop feeding all birds for at least 2 weeks. Do this also if you see dead or lethargic birds around your feeder. Take your feeders down and wash them with a mild bleach solution.
About the only foods that titmice don’t eat is Niger seed from a thistle feeder and nectar from a hummingbird feeder. Otherwise, Tufted Titmice will eat just about any foods that other feeder birds eat.
Wrapping Up
There are several reasons why people find Tufted Titmice so cute, and it boils down to a combination of their physical appearance, behavior, and even cultural influences. Here are some key factors:
Appearance:
- Soft, fluffy plumage: Their gray feathers have a soft, downy texture that evokes feelings of tenderness and cuddliness.
- Large, expressive eyes: Their big, dark eyes with prominent black brows give them an innocent and inquisitive look, which can be endearing.
- Small, compact size: Their petite stature, weighing only about half an ounce, makes them seem delicate and charming.
- Crested head: The namesake fluffy crest adds a distinctive and playful touch to their appearance.
Behavior:
- Active and energetic: They constantly flit around trees and branches, foraging for food and exploring their surroundings, bringing a touch of liveliness to any environment.
- Acrobatic movements: Their agility and ability to hang upside down or maneuver through branches add a playful and entertaining element to their behavior.
- Curious and inquisitive: They often approach humans with a certain boldness and curiosity, which can be perceived as endearing and friendly.
- Social and vocal: They often communicate with each other using high-pitched calls and chirps, adding to their lively and engaging presence.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is special about a Tufted Titmouse?
Tufted Titmice hold a special place in the hearts of many bird enthusiasts and casual observers alike, thanks to a combination of unique characteristics and fascinating behaviors. Here are some things that make them truly special:
Ecological Importance:
- Seed dispersers: They play a crucial role in maintaining healthy forests by efficiently dispersing the seeds of various trees and shrubs as they forage for food.
- Insect control: They contribute to natural pest control by consuming large quantities of insects and their larvae, helping to regulate insect populations and protect trees.
- Resilient and adaptable: These hardy birds can thrive in diverse habitats, from deciduous forests to suburban backyards, demonstrating their adaptability and ecological importance.
Behavioral Fascination:
- Acrobatic skills: Their agility and ability to maneuver through branches, hang upside down, and even forage while clinging to the undersides of leaves are impressive feats to observe.
- Communication skills: They utilize a complex repertoire of calls and vocalizations to communicate with each other, expressing everything from warnings and alarms to foraging success and social interactions.
- Memory and problem-solving: Recent studies suggest they have impressive spatial memory and can solve complex tasks like remembering hidden food caches, demonstrating remarkable cognitive abilities.
Unique Traits:
- Crested head: Their namesake fluffy crest, formed by elongated feathers atop their head, adds a distinctive and playful touch to their appearance, making them easily recognizable.
- Bold personalities: Unlike their shyer chickadee cousins, Tufted Titmice often approach humans with curiosity and inquisitiveness, adding to their endearing presence.
- Winter hardiness: They are well-adapted to cold temperatures and remain active year-round, providing a welcome splash of color and liveliness even in snowy landscapes.
Why are they called titmouse?
The name “titmouse” for these fluffy-crested songbirds actually comes from two separate historical terms:
- “Tit”: This word originates from Old English and simply referred to any small bird. It likely arose from the onomatopoeic sound of some birds’ calls.
- “Mase”: This was another Old English word that also meant “small bird,” although it eventually fell out of common usage.
Interestingly, the “mase” part eventually morphed into “mouse” due to the titmouse’s quick, darting movements, which some people thought resembled those of a small rodent. So, the name “titmouse” essentially translates to “small bird-mouse,” highlighting both its size and nimble activity.
It’s important to note that the “mouse” part doesn’t actually have any connection to real mice. It’s just a linguistic quirk that arose from how people perceived the bird’s movements.
While “titmouse” might seem like an unusual name, it holds historical significance and reflects the bird’s distinctive characteristics. Additionally, the genus name for Tufted Titmice, Baeolophus, comes from Greek and translates to “small crested,” further emphasizing their key physical feature.
What is the Tufted Titmouse predator?
Unfortunately, Tufted Titmice are vulnerable to predation from a variety of animals, both across all life stages and depending on their habitat. Here’s a breakdown of their predators:
Nests and eggs:
- Snakes: Ground-dwelling snakes like garter snakes and rat snakes will readily eat titmouse eggs and nestlings.
- Raccoons: These nimble mammals can climb trees and raid nests, consuming both eggs and young birds.
- Squirrels: Gray squirrels and other tree squirrels might occasionally prey on titmouse eggs or nestlings, especially if food resources are scarce.
- Owls: Eastern screech owls and other smaller owl species can be nocturnal predators of nestlings and fledglings.
- Jays: Blue jays and other jays might opportunistically raid unguarded nests, eating eggs or nestlings.
Adult birds:
- Hawks: Sharp-shinned hawks and Cooper’s hawks are the most common avian predators of adult Tufted Titmice. Their speed and maneuverability make them formidable hunters.
- Falcons: Peregrine falcons are fast and agile, and while they might not target Titmice frequently, they are capable of catching them in flight.
- Domestic cats: Cats pose a significant threat to adult Titmice, especially in backyards and urban areas.
- Other birds: Larger songbirds like Northern Shrikes and Loggerhead Shrikes might occasionally prey on adult Titmice.
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Why aren’t birds coming to your feeder?
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