My backyard bird friends come and go. Robins, for example, will be packed in my yard like sardines one week and disappear the next. Even my resident bluebirds take a leave of absence, usually after the last brood has hatched. But the titmice rarely leave. They hang around from winter to spring, from summer to fall. They are lovely and loyal little birds.
I noticed a pair at my feeder this morning. Often, I just see one of the little fellows, but I suppose this couple has decided to stay together and will soon be looking for a nest.
One of the most interesting things I have ever witnessed in my backyard birding career was the fledging of four baby titmice from a small birdhouse on the side of a tree on my patio. Nancy and I were sitting in the shade, enjoying an adult beverage when we saw two titmice squawking and chirping, then noticed a baby titmouse at the door of the birdhouse. We had no idea that birds were even nesting there, but one by one, over a matter of fifteen or so minutes, the young ones took flight. Funny, but they have never nested in that box since. I’m not sure where they nest, but it’s close by because the mom and dad always introduce us to their young ones with appearances at our main feeder.
Titmice will eat a wide variety of seeds. They enjoy safflower and sunflower seeds, and like chickadees, they will snatch a seed and fly to a nearby branch to peck it open.
They also frequent our feeder with sunflower hearts. They really don’t have to crack the hearts since they are already shelled, but often they fly to a limb and peck it into two pieces.
The tufted titmouse is related to the chickadee, but has a crest, like a cardinal. They are quite vocal with a familiar “peter-peter-peter” call. They say that a titmouse will swoop down and pluck fur from a sleeping cat or dog, but I’ve never seen that happen. We try to put yarn or soft materials in the yard at nesting time for that purpose. Lots of birds like yarn and bits of string, so leave some out come April.
I’ll clean and check that old birdhouse again this spring in hopes that my titmouse family will nest there again.