From Opus

Baeolophus ridgwayi

Photo by nitiman
Alto, New Mexico, USA, December 2006

[edit] Identification

Length 15cm (5.75 in), weight 17gm. A small and totally gray bird with a distinctive pointed topnotch. The face is plain gray, distinct from the other members of the titmouse genus. The sides are slightly lighter in color. Sexes are similar.

[edit] Similar Species

Essentially identical in appearance to the Oak Titmouse; separated best by range, with latter only on the west side of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California. Also only distiguishable from the other Titmouse species by plumage color - note the gray color with very little if any brown.

[edit] Distribution

Intermountain western United States and northern Sonora, Mexico.

[edit] Taxonomy

Two subspecies are recognized:^[1]: B. r. ridgwayi and B. r. zaleptus. The American Ornithologists' Union split the Plain Titmouse into the Oak Titmouse and the Juniper Titmouse in 1996.

[edit] Habitat

Open woodlands of pinyon-juniper, juniper and desert riparian woods.

[edit] Behaviour

An extremely active bird; rarely sits on a perch for more than a few seconds, and even then constantly moving its head and position. Seen either individually, in pairs, or small groups. Does not form large glocks.

• Diet: Includes insects and spiders, also berries, acorns, and some seeds.
• Breeding: Its nest is lined with grass, moss, mud, hair, feathers, and fur. 3-9 eggs are laid and incubated by the female for 14-16 days.
• Voice: varying series of notes, all phrases alike, at same pitch. The call sounds like tschick-adee.^[2]

[edit] References

1. Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist.
2. Smithsonian Birds of North America. F.J. Alsop III, Ed. DK Publishing, NY., 2001. ISBN 978-0756622848

• List of references

[edit] External Links