This week’s Bird of the Week, compliments of the Weminuche Audubon Society and Audubon Rockies, is the juniper titmouse.
The name titmouse originated with words in Old English that joined together meant “small bird”. In the U.S., there are five species of titmice, each permanent residents of the region where they are found. Titmice, chickadees and birds simply known as tits, are all related members of the Paridae family of birds which ranges across the Northern Hemisphere in Europe, Asia, North America and in Africa.
In North America, members of the Paridae family with crests are called titmice and those without chickadees. These cousins all have short little beaks, short wings and relatively drab plumage. They are active, agile birds often found hanging upside down to feed, eating insects when available, and seeds and berries during winter. They will come to backyard feeders for sunflower and suet, where they can become quite tame.
Until 1996 when it was recognized as a separate species, this cheerful little bird with the jaunty crest of feathers was known as the plain titmouse. Its new name reflects the forests it inhabits. It is all gray with beady black eyes, and its long body and tail can make it appear larger than it is.
Juniper titmice are habitat specialists of pinyon/juniper forests. They are most commonly found where juniper is the dominant tree species and seldom wander far from their nesting territory. Most of their range in the southwest is found within Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico.
They require large, mature trees that have natural or woodpecker-created cavities for nesting. These cavities are also important for winter survival as roosting sites where these birds lower nighttime body temperatures to conserve energy. In the trees, a titmouse can often be heard hammering open a seed by pounding it against a branch or holding one between its feet and pounding it with its beak. This style is employed to harvest pinyon seeds, acorns and small berries like juniper.
The overall decline of pinyon/juniper forests from drought and disease poses a threat to these still-common birds.
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Photo courtesy Charles Martinez