Baby tufted titmice: from egg to fledgling
A Tufted Titmouse lays 3–9 eggs. They hatch after 12–14 days, and the young leave the nest 15–16 days later — about 27–30 days from egg to fledgling.
- Eggs per clutch
- 3–9 eggs
- Incubation
- 12–14 days
- Time in the nest
- 15–16 days
- Egg to fledgling
- About 27–30 days
- Broods per year
- 1 per season (sometimes 2)
- Nest
- Natural cavities and old woodpecker holes; uses nest boxes
- Uses nest boxes
- Yes — 1 1/4 in round hole
Stage by stage
- Eggs (12–14 days): 3–9 eggs per clutch. Most songbirds start incubating when the last or second-to-last egg is laid, so the young hatch close together; owls and hawks start with the first egg, so their chicks hatch days apart.
- Nestlings (15–16 days): the young hatch with little or no down and their eyes closed. They grow fast on a diet the parents bring in. In the breeding season tufted titmice mainly eat caterpillars, beetles and wasps, spiders and insect eggs.
- Fledglings: after leaving the nest, young tufted titmice are fully feathered but short-tailed and clumsy. They spend days to weeks on low branches or the ground while the parents keep feeding them.
- More broods: 1 per season (sometimes 2). Pairs often start a new nest soon after the first young become independent.
When tufted titmice nest, state by state
Nesting starts earliest in Alabama (Mar) and latest in Maine (May). Months are estimates from regional breeding data shifted for latitude.
| State / province | Nesting season |
|---|---|
| Alabama | Mar–Jun |
| Arkansas | Apr–Jun |
| Connecticut | Apr–Jun |
| Delaware | Apr–Jun |
| Florida | Mar–Jun |
| Georgia | Mar–Jun |
| Illinois | Apr–Jun |
| Indiana | Apr–Jun |
| Iowa | Apr–Jun |
| Kansas | Apr–Jun |
| Kentucky | Apr–Jun |
| Louisiana | Mar–Jun |
| Maine | May–Jun |
| Maryland | Apr–Jun |
| Massachusetts | Apr–Jun |
| Michigan | Apr–Jun |
| Minnesota | Apr–Jun |
| Mississippi | Mar–Jun |
| Missouri | Apr–Jun |
| Nebraska | Apr–Jun |
| New Hampshire | May–Jun |
| New Jersey | Apr–Jun |
| New York | Apr–Jun |
| North Carolina | Mar–Jun |
| Ohio | Apr–Jun |
| Oklahoma | Apr–Jun |
| Ontario | Apr–Jun |
| Pennsylvania | Apr–Jun |
| Rhode Island | Apr–Jun |
| South Carolina | Mar–Jun |
| Tennessee | Apr–Jun |
| Texas | Mar–Jun |
| Vermont | May–Jun |
| Virginia | Apr–Jun |
| West Virginia | Apr–Jun |
| Wisconsin | May–Jun |
Found a baby Tufted Titmouse?
- Feathered, hopping, can grip your finger: a fledgling. This is a normal stage. Keep pets and children away and watch from a distance; the parents are usually close by.
- Bare skin or only pin feathers: a nestling that fell. If you can see the nest, put it back. Touching it won't make the parents abandon it — that is a myth.
- Injured, cold, covered in flies, or caught by a cat: contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. In the US and Canada, ahnow.org finds the nearest one.
- Don't give water or food. Baby birds can choke, and the wrong food can kill them.
More about tufted titmice
Frequently asked
How long do baby tufted titmice stay in the nest?
About 15–16 days after hatching. Eggs take 12–14 days to hatch, so it is roughly 27–30 days from the last egg to the young leaving.
How many eggs does a Tufted Titmouse lay?
3–9 eggs per clutch, with 1 per season (sometimes 2).
Where do tufted titmice nest?
Natural cavities and old woodpecker holes; uses nest boxes.
What should I do if I find a baby Tufted Titmouse on the ground?
If it has feathers and hops, it is a fledgling and its parents are almost certainly nearby — leave it. If it is naked or has pin feathers, put it back in the nest if you can. Call a licensed wildlife rehabilitator if it is injured.