Tufted Titmouse*
Photo credit: Dan Sudia, USFWS
The name titmouse comes from the Old English tit (small) and mase (bird). This bird has a tuff or crest of head feathers like the blue jay, cardinal, and the pileated woodpecker.
It eats insects when they're available, and switches to berries and nuts in the fall. During the winter, it feeds on seeds stored or cached in the cracks of trees.
It's also a frequent and friendly visitor to backyard bird feeders. However, after starting to feed birds in the winter, it's best to feed them the entire winter, and the bird feeder should be a cat-free zone.
Learn More
* Intermediates may be asked to identify these animals by sound (songs).