Tufted Titmice in Maine
When tufted titmice are present in Maine, when they nest, which native Maine plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 3b–6b yard.
- Status in Maine
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- May–June
- Broods
- 1 per season (sometimes 2)
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 3b–6b
- Nest box
- 1 1/4 in round hole, 4 × 4 in floor, 5–15 ft
- Range note
- Southern Maine; expanding north.
When to expect tufted titmice in Maine
Tufted Titmouses live in Maine all year — southern Maine; expanding north. Long, snowy winters; boreal finches and Pine Grosbeaks irrupt south in poor cone years. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward acorns and beechnuts; sunflower, peanuts and suet at feeders.
Humid continental with a long, rocky Atlantic coast and extensive northern spruce-fir forest.
Nesting in Maine
Across Maine, tufted titmice typically nest from May–June. Nest site: natural cavities and old woodpecker holes; uses nest boxes. Females lay 3–9 eggs, incubate for 12–14 days, and young leave the nest after 15–16 days.
Cool, short summers; many songbirds do not begin nesting until late May.
- Have boxes cleaned and mounted before April — tufted titmice begin prospecting ahead of egg-laying.
- Use a 1 1/4 in round entrance on a 4 × 4 in floor, mounted 5–15 ft.
- Fit a pole baffle or hole guard; ventilation gaps and drainage holes are essential.
- Clean out old nests after each brood and again after June.
Native Maine plants that attract tufted titmice
Of the regional native plants we track for Maine, these 8 provide food or cover tufted titmice use:
Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed.
Acorns plus hundreds of caterpillar species for nestling food.
Drought-hardy prairie oak with large acorns and a heavy insect load.
Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees.
Late-summer berry clusters taken by over 40 bird species.
Blue-black fall fruit and dense nesting cover.
Lipid-rich red fruit fuels fall migrants.
Late nectar for insects and fall seed for sparrows.
Feeding tufted titmice through the Maine year
Titmice favor large seeds, carrying them off to hammer open or cache within about 130 ft of the feeder.
- Best foods: Black-oil sunflower, Shelled peanuts, Suet.
- In Maine's winter: Long, snowy winters; boreal finches and Pine Grosbeaks irrupt south in poor cone years.
Full diet breakdown for tufted titmice · Best feeder for tufted titmice
Frequently asked
Are tufted titmice in Maine year-round?
Yes. Tufted Titmice are year-round residents in Maine. Southern Maine; expanding north.
When do tufted titmice nest in Maine?
Nesting in Maine typically runs May–June, with 1 per season (sometimes 2). Clutches are 3–9 eggs, incubated for 12–14 days.
What native plants attract tufted titmice in Maine?
Serviceberry, White oak, Bur oak, Black cherry, American elderberry, Arrowwood viburnum, Spicebush, New England aster are native plants in Maine that provide food or cover for tufted titmice.
What size birdhouse hole do tufted titmice need?
1 1/4 in round, with a floor of 4 × 4 in mounted 5–15 ft.
Tufted Titmice in other regions
Other backyard birds in Maine
Sources
- Tufted Titmouse — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Tufted Titmouse life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Tufted Titmouse — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- NestWatch nest box plans and species requirements — Cornell Lab
- eBird region overview and bar charts — Maine
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023)
- Audubon Native Plants Database
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.