The Carolina chickadee and the tufted titmouse are two small songbirds that are often found in the same habitats in the eastern United States. Both birds are in the titmouse family Paridae and have similar appearances, body sizes, and behaviors. However, there are some key differences between these two backyard birds that can help birdwatchers identify them.
In this article, we’ll go over the key identification features, size and appearance, habitat and range, diet, nesting behavior, and vocalizations of the Carolina chickadee and tufted titmouse. Understanding the similarities and differences between these two titmice will help you distinguish them when you see them visiting your feeders or flitting through the trees.
Key Identification Features
Here are some quick facts about the key features that set apart Carolina chickadees and tufted titmice:
Carolina Chickadee
– Small gray bird with a black cap and bib, white cheeks, and buffy sides
– Size: 4.5-5.5 inches; 7-10 grams
– Small black bib doesn’t extend far down chest
– Wings have white edges that are visible in flight
– Song is a whistle fee-bee-ee or hey-sweetie
Tufted Titmouse
– Gray bird with a black forehead and mohawk-like crest
– Size: 6 inches; 18-23 grams
– Has a large black patch on chest that extends downwards
– Wings are plain gray with no white edges
– Song is a whistled peto-peto-peto
As you can see, paying attention to the bib size, wing edges, and overall size and shape of these birds will help clue you into which species you’re looking at. Listening for their distinct vocalizations will also help confirm your ID. Next, we’ll go over their appearance and other features in more detail.
Size and Appearance
The Carolina chickadee is a very small songbird, measuring only 4.5-5.5 inches in length and weighing 7-10 grams. As its name suggests, it’s found in the southeastern states along the Atlantic coast. Here are some more details on its size and plumage:
Carolina Chickadee Size and Markings
– total length is 4.5-5.5 inches
– wingspan is 6.5-8.5 inches
– weighs only 7-10 grams
– body is gray on the back, wings, and tail
– has white edges on black wings that are visible during flight
– belly and sides are light buff-colored
– has a black cap and bib (throat patch)
– white cheeks and stripe behind eye
– bill is short and black
– eyes are dark brown
The tufted titmouse is a bit larger than the Carolina chickadee. It measures around 6 inches long and weighs 18-23 grams. Here are the key size and plumage features:
Tufted Titmouse Size and Markings
– total length is about 6 inches
– wingspan ranges from 7.5-10 inches
– weighs 18-23 grams
– slate gray on the back, wings, and tail
– lighter gray underparts
– black forehead that extends backwards into a crest
– has a large black bib that extends down chest
– plain, unmarked wings that are gray
– eyes are black
– short dark bill with a tuft of bristly feathers at base
So in a side-by-side comparison, you can see that the tufted titmouse is larger overall, has plain gray wings, and a much more extensive black bib compared to the smaller Carolina chickadee.
Habitat and Range
Understanding where these birds live can also help you identify which species you’re observing. Here are the key habitat and range features:
Carolina Chickadee Habitat
– Found in eastern and southeastern US
– Ranges from New Jersey to Florida, and west to Kansas and Texas
– Occurs year-round throughout its range
– Lives in open woodlands, parks, suburban areas
– Found at bird feeders and nest boxes
Tufted Titmouse Habitat
– Ranges from southeastern US up to Iowa and New Jersey
– Occurs year-round throughout most of range
– Declines in northern parts of range in winter
– Prefers deciduous and mixed forests
– Found in parks, woods, suburbs with trees
The Carolina chickadee has a more southeastern distribution centered in the coastal states while the tufted titmouse extends farther north all the way to Iowa and New Jersey. Both species are flexible in the habitats they occupy, readily coming to backyards and bird feeders provided there are trees nearby.
Diet
Carolina chickadees and tufted titmice have broadly similar diets, both feeding on insects and seeds. Here’s a closer look:
Carolina Chickadee Diet
– Eats insects like caterpillars, moths, beetles, flies, spiders
– Feeds on seeds from trees and plants
– Visits bird feeders for black oil sunflower seeds, suet
– Uses feet to hold seeds while opening with bill
– Sometimes hangs upside down to feed
Tufted Titmouse Diet
– Eats insects like caterpillars, ants, beetles, wasps, spiders
– Feeds on seeds and nuts from trees like oak, maple, juniper
– Finds food while hopping along branches or climbing tree trunks
– Visits feeders with sunflower seeds, peanuts, suet
– Sometimes caches food like acorns or seeds to eat later
Both chickadees and titmice use their strong bills to crack open seeds and nuts to access the inner kernels. They supplement this with protein-rich insects and spiders. You may see them hanging upside down or hopping along branches searching for food.
Nesting Behavior
The nesting habits of these two birds also show some clear differences:
Carolina Chickadee Nesting
– Nest is in a cavity like a hole in a tree, old woodpecker nest, or nest box
– Build nest from moss, fur, feathers, plant down lined with finer materials
– Nest height is typically 6 to 15 feet above the ground
– Lay 5-8 eggs that are white with brownish spots
– Incubation period is 12-15 days; only the female incubates
– Young fledge the nest at 16-18 days old
Tufted Titmouse Nesting
– Nest is in a natural cavity or old woodpecker hole, 10-40 feet up
– Build nest out of twigs, grass, moss, bark, feathers, fur
– Nest opening is lined with finer materials
– Lay 5-8 white eggs with brown spots
– Incubate the eggs for 14-16 days
– Young leave nest at 16-18 days old
Both use cavities for nesting, but the tufted titmouse nests higher up, usually 10-40 feet above ground compared to the lower 6-15 feet for chickadees. Their nest materials are also similar with soft inner lining and outer layers made of twigs, moss, and bark.
Vocalizations
Listening to the distinct vocalizations of these birds is helpful for identification:
Carolina Chickadee Sounds
– Song is a whistled fee-beeee or hey sweetie
– Call is a chick-a-dee-dee-dee that gets faster with increasing alarm
– Other calls sound like phoebe or fee-bee
– The number of dee notes indicates the threat level
Tufted Titmouse Sounds
– Common call is a whistled peto-peto-peto
– Song is a fast series of clear whistled notes
– Warning call is a harsh tack-tack
– Sometimes makes a frog-like croak
The tufted titmouse’s peto song is slower and more drawn out compared to the Carolina chickadee’s fee-beeee whistle. And the chickadee’s chick-a-dee-dee alarm call is a dead giveaway for identifying that species. Listening closely to the birds in your backyard or on a hike can confirm which species you’re observing.
Conclusion
In summary, the tufted titmouse is larger with a big black bib, gray wings, and a mohawk-like crest, while the smaller Carolina chickadee has a smaller bib, white-edged wings, and a classic black cap. The chickadee’s range is centered more southeasternly while the titmouse extends farther north. Both eat insects and seeds, and nest in cavities, but the titmouse nests higher up. And their vocalizations differ, with the peto whistle of the titmouse and the chick-a-dee-dee call of the chickadee.
Listening for these subtle differences in appearance, habitat, behavior, and sound will help you distinguish between these two common backyard titmice. So next time you see a small gray bird at your feeder, take a closer look to determine if it’s a Carolina chickadee or a tufted titmouse visiting your yard!