Bushtits in Arizona

Bushtits live in Arizona all year. Low deserts stay mild and host many wintering sparrows and hummingbirds; the high country gets snow. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward insect eggs; some suet.

Hot Sonoran and Mojave deserts in the south and west, with pine-oak sky islands and the Colorado Plateau rising above 7,000 ft.

Across Arizona, bushtits typically nest from February–June. Nest site: hanging sock-shaped nest of spider silk and moss. Females lay 4–10 eggs, incubate for 12–13 days, and young leave the nest after 14–15 days.

Summer highs above 110°F in Phoenix and Tucson make water the single strongest attractant; the July monsoon triggers a second breeding pulse.

• Bushtits don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as black cherry, american elderberry, chokecherry for nest sites.
• Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after June.

Of the regional native plants we track for Arizona, these 8 provide food or cover bushtits use:

Flocks of 10–40 sweep through yards and mob suet feeders for a few minutes before moving on.

• Best foods: Suet.
• In Arizona's winter: Low deserts stay mild and host many wintering sparrows and hummingbirds; the high country gets snow.

Full diet breakdown for bushtits · Best feeder for bushtits