Nesting and Young
After they pair up in early spring the couple searches for a nesting cavity in a wooded area or residential shade tree. Nests are built in natural tree cavities, or old woodpecker nests, and can be found anywhere from three to ninety feet off the ground. Tufted titmice will nest in bird houses with a nest hole of at least one and half inches in diameter.
The female is the one that builds the nest and the male brings her food during this time. She uses nesting materials that consist of leaves, moss, fine roots, strips of bark, pet hair, yarn, snake skins, and just about anything that she can find and carry, that is soft and pliable. During the springtime nest building season I can always find a female pulling dog hair out of the welcome mat. She will make repeated trips with large mouthfuls of dog hair and it is quite entertaining to watch. It generally takes her from six to eleven days to complete her nest.
During the nest construction phase copulation occurs. Four to eight eggs are laid, but on the average only four. They are white speckled, or cream colored, with brown spots. The eggs are incubated by the female only and start to hatch over several days with the mother removing the shells from the nest during this time. The male always sleeps, and perches, very close to the nest during this phase.
Titmice babies are altricial, which means that they are born without feathers and unable to feed themselves. The female is the one that keeps her brood warm and stays on the nest, but the male and female both bring food for the babies once they hatch.
The babies leave the nest, or fledge, at fifteen to eighteen days. When they leave the nest they are not really adept at flying and are unable to get their own food so the parents feed them and teach them as they grow and learn songbird skills.
The tufted titmouse may have two broods per year in our area.
When they are not actively breeding they can be found foraging in small flocks of mixed birds consisting of Carolina chickadees, nuthatches and small woodpeckers.