Description.—Size of English Sparrow; with prominent crest. Upperparts gray, forehead dark brown, a light spot in front of and above eye; underparts grayish white, the sides washed with reddish brown. Length: 6 inches.
Range in Pennsylvania.—A common permanent resident in southern and middle counties, gradually extending its range northward.
Nest.—Mass of leaves, mosses, hair, and feathers, placed in a cavity, at from 10 to 30 feet from the ground. Eggs: 5 to 8, white, spotted and blotched with reddish brown.
A small gray bird with a noticeable crest is likely to be the Tufted Tit. He is fond of the lower branches and is almost never seen perching on a tree-top, where the Cedar Waxwing, another crested species, prefers to watch for passing insects.
Tufted Titmouse
Black-capped Chickadee
The song, which is a musical whistle, may be written wheedle, wheedle, wheedle. He has other call-notes which resemble those of the Chickadee. In his nest he gives a snake-like hiss.
Like the Chickadee, the Tufted Tit is an acrobat. He pounds away at a rolled leaf, or at a beechnut, hanging upside down on a slender twig. He may carry food about with him in his feet, but nesting material is gathered with the bill.
BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE
Penthestes atricapillus atricapillus (Linnæus)
Description.—Smaller than English Sparrow. Top of head and throat black; cheeks white; rest of upperparts grayish; underparts grayish white, washed with brownish on sides. Length: 5 inches.
Range in Pennsylvania.—A common permanent resident, usually more numerous about towns in winter than in summer.
Nest.—Of fur, plant-down, and feathers, couched in moss and bark strips, placed in a cavity in a tree, usually from 5 to 15 feet from the ground. The birds often dig their own nest-cavity. Eggs: 5 to 9, white, spotted with brown, often chiefly at larger end.
The friendly, jolly Chickadee is one of our most popular birds. He calls his name plainly, and his color-pattern is distinctive. In spring he has a plaintive love-call which sounds like phee-bee. An imitation of this whistle often brings the bird very close.
In winter, Chickadees may visit the lunch-counter daily; but in summer, when the duties of family-rearing are pressing, they may not be seen for weeks at a time. For this reason they are frequently considered as winter birds.