Oklahoma · Year-round resident

Bushtits in Oklahoma

When bushtits are present in Oklahoma, when they nest, which native Oklahoma plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 6a–8a yard.

Long-tailed tits (Aegithalidae)BushtitPsaltriparus minimus

Status in Oklahoma: Year-round resident
Nesting window: March–June
Broods: 1–2 per season
Hardiness zones: USDA 6a–8a

When to expect bushtits in Oklahoma

Bushtits live in Oklahoma all year. Mild winters with occasional severe ice storms. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward insect eggs; some suet.

Humid in the forested east, semi-arid in the western plains and Panhandle.

Nesting in Oklahoma

Across Oklahoma, bushtits typically nest from March–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.

Hot summers with strong winds; water is especially valuable in the west.

Bushtits don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as flowering dogwood, serviceberry, white oak for nest sites.
Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after June.

Native Oklahoma plants that attract bushtits

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

Flowering dogwood

Cornus florida · Tree

Fat-rich red fall fruit taken by thrushes, bluebirds and woodpeckers.

Serviceberry

Amelanchier arborea · Tree

Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed.

White oak

Quercus alba · Tree

Acorns plus hundreds of caterpillar species for nestling food.

Bur oak

Quercus macrocarpa · Tree

Drought-hardy prairie oak with large acorns and a heavy insect load.

Black cherry

Prunus serotina · Tree

Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees.

American elderberry

Sambucus canadensis · Shrub

Late-summer berry clusters taken by over 40 bird species.

Spicebush

Lindera benzoin · Shrub

Lipid-rich red fruit fuels fall migrants.

New England aster

Symphyotrichum novae-angliae · Perennial

Late nectar for insects and fall seed for sparrows.

Feeding bushtits through the Oklahoma year

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

Best foods: Suet.
In Oklahoma's winter: Mild winters with occasional severe ice storms.

Full diet breakdown for bushtits · Best feeder for bushtits

Frequently asked

Are bushtits in Oklahoma year-round?

Yes. Bushtits are year-round residents in Oklahoma.

When do bushtits nest in Oklahoma?

Nesting in Oklahoma typically runs March–June, with 1–2 per season. Clutches are 4–10 eggs, incubated for 12–13 days.

What native plants attract bushtits in Oklahoma?

Flowering dogwood, Serviceberry, White oak, Bur oak, Black cherry, American elderberry, Spicebush, New England aster are native plants in Oklahoma that provide food or cover for bushtits.

Bushtits in other regions

Arizona British Columbia California Colorado Idaho Nevada New Mexico Oregon Texas Utah Washington Wyoming

Other backyard birds in Oklahoma

Northern Cardinal Eastern Bluebird Carolina Chickadee Purple Martin Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker American Goldfinch Tufted Titmouse White-breasted Nuthatch House Wren Blue Jay House Finch Purple Finch Ruby-throated Hummingbird Carolina Wren Mourning Dove American Robin Dark-eyed Junco White-throated Sparrow Song Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Red-bellied Woodpecker Northern Flicker Pileated Woodpecker Red-headed Woodpecker Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown-headed Nuthatch Brown Creeper Common Grackle Red-winged Blackbird Baltimore Oriole Orchard Oriole Pine Siskin Indigo Bunting Painted Bunting Eastern Towhee Gray Catbird Northern Mockingbird Brown Thrasher Cedar Waxwing Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Eastern Phoebe Chimney Swift Yellow-rumped Warbler Pine Warbler Eastern Screech-Owl Wood Thrush Great Crested Flycatcher Eastern Kingbird American Tree Sparrow House Sparrow European Starling Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay Juniper Titmouse Black-crested Titmouse Black-chinned Hummingbird Lesser Goldfinch Spotted Towhee Canyon Towhee Mountain Bluebird Say's Phoebe Ladder-backed Woodpecker Curve-billed Thrasher Bewick's Wren White-crowned Sparrow Fox Sparrow Bullock's Oriole Eurasian Collared-Dove

Sources

Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.