Introduction

Editor's note: The Black-crested Titmouse, long considered a form (subspecies) of the Tufted Titmouse, has recently been given separate species status. BNA now has a life-history account of the Black-crested to reflect this change.  Future revisions of the Tufted Titmouse account will be modified to also reflect this change, as will the map.

The Tufted Titmouse is a common song-bird of the deciduous forests of eastern North America. During the past 50 years, the range of this species has expanded northward, probably because of climatic warming and increased bird feeding. Although this familiar species often breeds in nestboxes, its population ecology and breeding biology remain poorly known, especially in contrast to its European counterpart, the Great Tit (Parus major).

Frequent visitors to bird feeders during fall and winter, individuals of this species cache large amounts of food throughout their territories. In contrast to most species of titmice and chickadees, young Tufted Titmice often remain with their parents during the winter and then disperse later in their second year. Some yearling titmice even stay on their natal territory and help their parents to raise younger siblings.

Historically, the Tufted Titmouse (Parus bicolor) has included the Black-crested Titmouse (P. atricristatus), now separated and given its own treatment in this series. The two species freely interbreed in a stable but narrow transition zone in Texas.