Bushtits in California

Bushtits live in California all year. Wet, mild winters are the green season — the busiest time at coastal feeders as sparrows and hummingbirds settle in. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward insect eggs; some suet.

Mediterranean along the coast and Central Valley, alpine in the Sierra Nevada, and desert in the southeast.

Across California, 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.

Dry summers with little rain from May to October; water and summer-blooming natives matter more than extra seed.

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

Of the regional native plants we track for California, 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 California's winter: Wet, mild winters are the green season — the busiest time at coastal feeders as sparrows and hummingbirds settle in.

Full diet breakdown for bushtits · Best feeder for bushtits