It has been a very cold and snowy winter so far here in Maine. We do our part in keeping the bird feeders full for our feathered friends. Suet, black-oil sunflower seed, millet, safflower, peanuts and dried fruits keep the birds visiting our yard well nourished and provides the high fat content to keep them warm.
Birds will “puff up” in the winter to keep warm. Air is an excellent insulator. That means that heat doesn’t pass well through it. When a bird puffs up its down feathers, it’s trapping air in-between them. This has the result of surrounding the bird’s body with a layer of air that acts as an insulating shield. This way the bird’s own body heat won’t escape as easily. It’s the same principle that makes a big, thick winter jacket keep you warmer than a thin, tight shirt.
For Bird Photography Weekly #24, I leave you with a Tufted Titmouse, puffed up and keeping warm on a cold February day.
Click photo for a larger view
Tufted Titmouse
Happy birding!
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What a cutie! I have not yet been able to attract these to my yard or see one in the wild.
A lovely photo and a very cute bird.
WisconsinBirder, yes it is a cutie! Tufted Titmice usually travel with Black-capped Chickadees. They eat the same food as the Chickadee. You may have already seen the following site, but it shows possible and confirmed breeding status in your state: http://www.wisconsinbirds.org/plan/species/tuti.htm
Hope you see one soon!
John
Such a sweet photo. The Tufted Titmouse is a regular in my backyard and I always know when it arrives because its call is so loud.
Mick; Thank you!
Kallen; They do have a loud call. Even while my wife and I are watching TV, we can hear the Titmice through the closed windows.
What a beautiful little bird nice photo.
That’s just lovely! You can see all the little feathers and the color turned out beautifully. Like yours with the Black-capped Chickadee, our Oak Titmice hang out with the Chestnut-backed Chickadee.
Excellent capture of the Tufted Titmouse John! Beautiful colors your visitor has. Our Oak Titmouses are beginning to exhibit mating behavior. I am excited about having several nesting pairs this spring. They are such upbeat and lively little guys, I love them.
Like you and Kallen stated, you can hear them a mile away and the Oak Titmouse has many different calls. Someday I will see a Tufted Titmouse and maybe the other three species, the Black-crested, Juniper and Bridled Titmouses. Until then, I am content watching my Oak Titmouses liven up my backyard.
What a cute bird! We can just imagine the cold over there. Here it’s 60 degrees and we’re complaining
Neil; Thank you! It’s the best photo I have of a Tufted Titmouse.
Red; Thanks! I would love to see an Oak Titmouse, but that won’t happen around here.
Larry; Thank you for your comment and for visiting!
As I noted to Red, I would love to see an Oak Titmouse. We had two mating pairs of Tufted Titmice last year, and with the number that has been to the feeders this winter, I am willing to bet there will be more mating pairs this summer.
Maybe one of these days, i will travel to the regions where the other species of Titmouse live.
Bob; Thanks for visiting and for your comments!
60 degrees! And from ready your latest post on your blog you had rain, thunder and lightning. WOW! We won’t see temps or thunderstorms like that for quite sometime to come.
We don’t call it Spring here in Maine, we call it Mud Season. That usually starts mid to late April.
It’s amazing that these little birds can keep their internal furnaces burning enough to keep them warm in such cold weather. Cute little picture.
What a cutie! You did a great job on this. I have been to Bath before in the summer time and been devoured by mosquitoes when we tried to hike up a little nature trail near Ft. Popham State park! Thanks for all you visits to my blog!
Hi Wendy, thank you for visiting and for your comments!
It is astounding how these birds keep warm. We have had a lot of snow and below zero mornings this winter, yet the birds adapt. We make sure the feeders as kept chock full in the winter.
Kathiesbirds, thank you for your visits also! You have a wonderful blog.
Yes, the mosquitoes can be nasty, along with the green head flies.
Ft. Popham State Park is one of my favorite places to bird in the spring and fall.
Just love those tufties! Nice image.
I love to see puffed-up birds. I have a Carolina Wren here that often looks positively round.
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