The Four Keys to ID
- Size & Shape
A medium-sized songbird with a long tail, short bill, and distinctive crest.
Relative Size
Larger than a Carolina Chickadee, slightly smaller than a Red-eyed Vireo.
sparrow-sized or smallerMeasurements
- Both Sexes
- Length: 5.9 in (15 cm)
- Weight: 0.5-0.7 oz (15.2-18.4 g)
- Wingspan: 9.1-9.8 in (23-25 cm)
© Mary Waters / Macaulay Library
- Color Pattern
- Behavior
- Habitat
Regional Differences
Three subspecies are often recognized, but the differences between them are subtle. The southernmost, atricristatus, ranges from the Rio Grande Valley of Texas through much of central and eastern Mexico; it has dark gray flanks with an olive tint. The westernmost subspecies, paloduro, is found mostly from the Big Bend region of Texas into adjacent Mexico; it has dark gray flanks. The sennetti subspecies ranges from southern Oklahoma southward to central Texas. It has paler flanks and a rusty tint to the forehead.
