TITMICE. FAMILY PARIDÆ
TUFTED TITMOUSE
Bæolophus bicolor. [Case 4], Fig. 67
A large, gray Titmouse, with a conspicuous crest, black forehead, and reddish brown flanks. L. 6.
Range. Nests from the Gulf States north to New Jersey and Nebraska. Resident, except at the northern limit of its range.
Washington, very common P.R., more so in winter. N. Ohio, common P.R. Glen Ellyn, only two records, Apl. 4 and Nov. 19.
The loud peto, peto, peto of the Tufted Tit can be confused only with certain notes of the Carolina Wren, but while skilfull stalking is required to see the Wren, one may walk up and inspect the Tit with little or no caution. When he sees us he may change his call to a hoarse dee-dee-dee which at once betrays his relationship to the Chickadee. The nest is made in a hole, and the 5-8 white, brown-marked eggs are laid in April.
BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE
Penthestes atricapillus atricapillus. [Case 2], Fig. 37
Crown black, wing-coverts margined with whitish. L. 5¼.
Range. Nests from central Missouri and northern New Jersey north into Canada, south, along the Alleghanies to North Carolina; winters south to Maryland.
Washington, rare and irregular W.V., Oct. 19-Apl. 19. Ossining, tolerably common P.R. Cambridge, common P.R., more numerous in fall and winter. N. Ohio, common P.R. Glen Ellyn, fairly common P.R. SE. Minn., common P.R.
While the Chickadee is with us throughout the year, it is during the winter that he takes first place in our affections. Active, cheerful, friendly, he is an ever welcome visitor to our lunch-counters, and often shows complete and winning confidence in us by perching on our hands. His clearly enunciated chick-a-dee, with its variations, we accept as his characteristic language, but the sentiment expressed in his two- or three-noted whistle seems to belong to the Pewee rather than the sprightly Black-cap. It is, in fact, often falsely attributed to that bird, even when our books tell us that the Pewee is wintering in the tropics!
The Chickadee nests in holes, usually within ten feet of the ground, laying 5-9 white, brown-speckled eggs in the first half of May.
CAROLINA CHICKADEE
Penthestes carolinensis carolinensis. [Case 4], Fig. 68
Smaller than the Black-cap; without white margins on the wing-coverts. L. 4½.
Range. Southeastern United States, north to northern New Jersey and central Missouri. The south Florida form (P. c. impiger) is slightly smaller and darker.
Washington, very common P.R., particularly in winter.
Whether because of a different temperament or because milder winters make him less dependent on man's bounty, the Carolina Chickadee does not show that unquestioning confidence in our good faith which makes the Black-cap so dear to us.
The chick-a-dee note is less clearly and more hurriedly given by the Carolina, and the pe-wee whistle is not so loud and usually consists of four notes instead of two. The nesting habits and eggs of the two species are alike, but the southern bird begins to lay in March.
BROWN-CAPPED CHICKADEE
Penthestes hudsonicus
Similar to the Black-cap but crown dark brown; back brownish ashy.
Range. Northern New England and Canada; rarely further south in winter. Represented by three races: the Acadian Brown-capped Chickadee (P. h. littoralis) of northern New England, New Brunswick. Nova Scotia and Newfoundland; the Labrador Brown-capped Chickadee (P. h. nigricans) of Labrador, and the Hudsonian Brown-capped Chickadee (P. h. hudsonicus) of the region west of Hudson Bay.
Until recent years the Brown-capped Chickadee was rarely seen far south of its breeding range, but during several winters it has invaded New England in considerable numbers and has been found in the lower Hudson Valley, Long Island, Staten Island and northern New Jersey. At close range an experienced observer may know it by its dark brown head, while Brewster states that its "nasal, drawling, tchick, chee-day-day" at once distinguishes it from the Black-cap. All three races have been reported in these winter migrations and only expert examination of specimens can determine whether the little wanderer is from Labrador, New Brunswick, or the country west of Hudson Bay.