Tufted Titmouse

Baeolophus bicolor

Explore this bird

Identification

Field notes

17 cm (6-7") Common. Eastern United States; enters Canada in southern Ontario. Deciduous forests, mesquite, shade trees in villages and city parks, feeders.

Gray upperparts. White underparts. Rusty sides. Usually a gray crested head.

A species in Texas with a black crest - the Black-crested Titmouse, was once considered a separate race.

Song: loud whistled "Peet-urrr" repeated.

Details in the field

Photo gallery

2 photos

Credit: Larry Bond

Credit: Larry Bond

Watch and learn

Videos

1 video

Tufted Titmouse Calling Its Mate

Credit: Stephen Tabone

Where it lives

Distribution maps

Source legend · original intervals

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Unshaded in source · does not imply absence

Generic and winter maps may use different intervals.

Bird Advisor Identification rules 1 variant 6 rules

These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.

Tufted Titmouse

6 rules

Rule 1 12 criteria confidence 1

Did the WINGS have STRIPES or PATCHES ?: No · Unknown
What colour TAIL PATTERN was there if any ?: None · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?: Crest of feathers on top of the head · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Smaller than a sparrow · Sparrow-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Warbler-like · Songbird (ground or perching bird) · Woodpecker or Tree-clinging bird
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Northeastern Canada or United States · Southwestern United States

result:663-tufted-titmouse:1:1 Source: 663 Tufted Titmouse, row 1

Rule 2 12 criteria confidence 1

Did the WINGS have STRIPES or PATCHES ?: No · Unknown
What colour TAIL PATTERN was there if any ?: None · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?: Crest of feathers on top of the head · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Smaller than a sparrow · Sparrow-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Warbler-like · Songbird (ground or perching bird) · Woodpecker or Tree-clinging bird
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States

result:663-tufted-titmouse:2:1 Source: 663 Tufted Titmouse, row 2

Rule 3 12 criteria confidence 5

Did the WINGS have STRIPES or PATCHES ?: No · Unknown
What colour TAIL PATTERN was there if any ?: None · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?: Crest of feathers on top of the head · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Smaller than a sparrow · Sparrow-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Warbler-like · Songbird (ground or perching bird) · Woodpecker or Tree-clinging bird
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southeastern United States

result:663-tufted-titmouse:3:1 Source: 663 Tufted Titmouse, row 3

Rule 4 6 criteria confidence 1

Was the bird seen best or only on the ground ?: No
How BIG was the bird ?: Smaller than a sparrow · Sparrow-sized
List any unique feeding behaviour observed ?: Foraging by hanging upside down
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Identify from a Unique Behaviour
What type of environment was the bird seen in?: Urban or residential area or at a feeder · Thickets or shrubs · Deciduous forest · Coniferous forest · Mixed forest · Wooded freshwater habitat
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Northeastern Canada or United States

result:663-tufted-titmouse:4:1 Source: 663 Tufted Titmouse, row 4

Rule 5 6 criteria confidence 1

Was the bird seen best or only on the ground ?: No
How BIG was the bird ?: Smaller than a sparrow · Sparrow-sized
List any unique feeding behaviour observed ?: Foraging by hanging upside down
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Identify from a Unique Behaviour
What type of environment was the bird seen in?: Urban or residential area or at a feeder · Thickets or shrubs · Deciduous forest · Coniferous forest · Mixed forest · Wooded freshwater habitat
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States

result:663-tufted-titmouse:5:1 Source: 663 Tufted Titmouse, row 5

Rule 6 6 criteria confidence 6

Was the bird seen best or only on the ground ?: No
How BIG was the bird ?: Smaller than a sparrow · Sparrow-sized
List any unique feeding behaviour observed ?: Foraging by hanging upside down
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Identify from a Unique Behaviour
What type of environment was the bird seen in?: Urban or residential area or at a feeder · Thickets or shrubs · Deciduous forest · Coniferous forest · Mixed forest · Wooded freshwater habitat
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southeastern United States

result:663-tufted-titmouse:6:1 Source: 663 Tufted Titmouse, row 6