Alternative name: Mexican Titmouse
- Baeolophus atricristatus
Identification
15cm
- Rusty flanks
- Gray upperparts
- Whitish belly
Male
- Long, dark black crest - usually erect
Female crest is lighter
Distribution
Southern Texas, Oklahoma, and east-central Mexico.
Taxonomy
Some authorities consider this taxon to be a part of Tufted Titmouse.
In the past, some authorities have placed this species in genus Parus.
Subspecies[1]
There are 3 subspecies:
- B. a. paloduro:
- B. a. sennetti:
- Central and southern Texas (south to Brooks County, west to Terrell County)
- B. a. atricristatus:
- Southern Texas and north-eastern Mexico (north-eastern Coahuila and Tamaulipas to southern Veracruz)
Habitat
Fairly common in a variety of wood and scrub habitats, including gardens
Behaviour
Diet
The diet includes berries, nuts, spiders, insects, and insect eggs.
Breeding
It nests in tree cavities, telephone poles, fence posts, and bird boxes. The eggs are white with reddish-brown spots, usually 4-7 in the clutch.
Vocalisation
Call: peter, peter, peter.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, S. M. Billerman, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2019. The eBird/Clements Checklist of Birds of the World: v2019. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Lepage D. (2021) [Avibase - https://avibase.ca/66698D9B ]. Retrieved 2 May 2021
- Wikipedia
- BF Member observations
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2021) Black-crested Titmouse. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 14 May 2021 from https://www.birdforum.net/wiki/Black-crested_Titmouse
