Titmice- ORDER: Passeriformes
- FAMILY: Paridae
Basic Description
A small titmouse with a dashing swirl of black and white on its face, the Bridled Titmouse is a specialty of the middle-elevation forests of the southwestern U.S. and adjacent Mexico. Like other titmice species, Bridled Titmice are often at the center of foraging flocks that can include chickadees, kinglets, warblers, vireos, tanagers, and nuthatches. They forage nimbly, often in oak trees, sometimes hanging upside-down from the slenderest of branches. They even serve as sentinels for the group, alerting other species to danger with harsh calls.
More ID InfoFind This Bird
Bridled Titmice are relatively easy to find in oak and pine-oak woodlands. Stroll through their habitat and listen for the quiet sounds of a foraging flock—Bridled Titmice are usually in such groups. Watch and listen for them in middle heights of oak or sometimes juniper or pine trees, often foraging out near the tips of branches at middle heights.
Other Names
- Herrerillo Embridado (Spanish)
- Mésange arlequin (French)
Backyard Tips
Consider putting up a nest box to attract a breeding pair. Make sure you put it up well before breeding season. Attach a guard to keep predators from raiding eggs and young. Find out more about nest boxes on our Attract Birds pages. You'll find plans for building a nest box of the appropriate size on our All About Birdhouses site.