Juniper Titmouse
Juniper Titmouse
Baeolophus ridgwayi
At a Glance
Plain and drab but full of personality, the Juniper Titmouse enlivens pinyon-juniper woods of the interior of the west. Until recently, this and the very similar Oak Titmouse were considered one species, under the name of Plain Titmouse.
All bird guide text and rangemaps adapted from Lives of North American Birds by Kenn Kaufman© 1996, used by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Category
Chickadees and Titmice, Perching Birds
IUCN Status
Least Concern
Habitat
Forests and Woodlands, Shrublands, Savannas, and Thickets
Region
California, Northwest, Rocky Mountains, Southwest, Texas
Behavior
Direct Flight, Flitter, Undulating
Population
290.000
Range & Identification
Migration & Range Maps
Permanent resident, seldom wandering very far from the areas where it nests.
Description
5 3/4" (15 cm). A plain grayish bird with a short crest. Very similar to Oak Titmouse, usually a bit grayer (less brownish). Best identified by range, entirely separate except very locally in northeast California.
Size
About the size of a Sparrow
Color
Gray
Wing Shape
Rounded
Tail Shape
Rounded, Square-tipped
Songs and Calls
Harsh see-dee-dee.
Call Pattern
Falling
Call Type
Buzz, Chirp/Chip, Hi, Whistle
Habitat
Pinyon-juniper woodland; locally river woods, shade trees. Found mainly in open woods of pinyon pine and juniper, as well as in oak or pine-oak woods.
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Behavior
Eggs
Usually 5-6, sometimes 4-7. White, sometimes lightly dotted with reddish brown. Incubation is probably by female only, 14-16 days.
Young
Both parents bring food to nestlings. Young leave nest about 16-21 days after hatching.
Feeding Behavior
Forages by hopping about in branches and larger twigs of trees, sometimes hanging upside down, searching for insects among the foliage and on the bark. Opens nuts and acorns by holding them with feet and pounding with bill. Comes to bird feeders for seeds or suet.
Diet
Insects, nuts, seeds. Feeds mainly on insects, including many caterpillars, beetles, true bugs, and many others, as well as some spiders. Also eats pinyon nuts, acorns, weed seeds, and sometimes berries or small fruits. B
Nesting
At least in some areas, pairs or family groups may defend territories all year. Nest site (possibly selected by female) is usually in hole in tree, sometimes hole in stump, fence post, or pole. May be natural cavity or old woodpecker hole. In rotten wood, both members of pair may work to enlarge small cavities for their use. Also will use nest boxes, or crevices in old, twisted trunks of juniper or pine. Nest has foundation of grass, weeds, moss, bark fibers, and lining of soft material such as feathers or animal hair.
Climate Vulnerability
Conservation Status
Locally common in parts of its range, with no obvious trends in population.
Climate Threats Facing the Juniper Titmouse
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