I spotted this Tufted Titmouse hanging out on a sunny branch yesterday afternoon in Fuquay Varina. Of course, there is a Chickadee close by as these sweet little birds rarely seem to go anywhere without their masked relatives.
A familiar sight at backyard feeders here
in North Carolina, Tufted Titmice feed on insects and seeds. They
search for food on trees and can be seen on trunks and limbs looking for
insects in the crevices of the bark. They also forage on the ground.
Throughout
the year, their preferred foraging locations can change. In summer
months they can be found foraging in the high canopy’s of tall trees,
while in winter they can be spotted on trunks and in bushes more often.
During
the wintertime, Tufted Titmice often travel in mixed flocks with
Chickadees, Sparrows, Nuthatches, and Juncos. This behavior gives them
the advantages of safety in numbers and the added bonus of having
another species locate the food for them.
That being said, even
during the summer, I can’t remember the last time I saw a Titmouse that
wasn’t traveling with at least a couple of Chickadees in its entourage.
Photo by @sally_siko
Canon 5Ds
