Black-Crested Titmouse
Baeolophus atricristatus
Also known as: Mexican Titmouse
About This Species
A lively, crested songbird of oak woodland and scrub across Texas and northeastern Mexico, readily attracted to garden feeders offering seed or suet where its sharp crest and pale grey plumage make it easy to identify. It forages actively along branches and trunks, often in small family groups, gleaning insects and seeds from bark and foliage. It is a non-migratory resident, so it can be watched at feeders or in oak woodland in any season, though spring pairs are especially vocal and easy to locate.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- As a common, widespread resident of the southern United States and Mexico, ordinary courteous distance at a feeder or in woodland is generally sufficient, with no special approach required beyond avoiding prolonged handling if the bird visits a feeder closely.
- Because migratory bird protections and specific nest-disturbance rules differ between the United States and Mexico, checking local guidance before intervening near an active nest cavity is the more cautious approach.
- Keeping feeders clean and not forcing close contact helps avoid habituating the bird to people.
LCAvesPasseriformesParidae
Seasonal Activity
613,502 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
All monthsThis month
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Paridae
Photo
Wikimedia Commons / Wikimedia Commons
CC-BY-SA-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.