Bushtits in Texas

Bushtits live in Texas all year. Hard freezes are brief outside the Panhandle, so most feeder birds face heat and drought stress more than cold. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward insect eggs; some suet.

Humid subtropical in the east and along the Gulf, semi-arid to arid in the west; long, hot summers and short, mild winters over most of the state.

Across Texas, 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.

Afternoon highs regularly exceed 95°F — nest boxes need shade or light-colored, ventilated construction, and water matters as much as food.

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

Of the regional native plants we track for Texas, 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 Texas's winter: Hard freezes are brief outside the Panhandle, so most feeder birds face heat and drought stress more than cold.

Full diet breakdown for bushtits · Best feeder for bushtits