Tufted Titmice in Minnesota
When tufted titmice are present in Minnesota, when they nest, which native Minnesota plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 3a–5b yard.
- Status in Minnesota
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- April–June
- Broods
- 1 per season (sometimes 2)
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 3a–5b
- Nest box
- 1 1/4 in round hole, 4 × 4 in floor, 5–15 ft
- Range note
- Local in the southeast.
When to expect tufted titmice in Minnesota
Tufted Titmouses live in Minnesota all year — local in the southeast. Temperatures below 0°F are routine — heated water, suet and roost boxes are survival aids, not extras. 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.
Continental, with very cold winters and warm summers; prairie in the west, boreal forest in the northeast.
Nesting in Minnesota
Across Minnesota, tufted titmice typically nest from April–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.
A short, intense breeding season; most nesting runs May through July.
- Have boxes cleaned and mounted before March — 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 Minnesota plants that attract tufted titmice
Of the regional native plants we track for Minnesota, these 8 provide food or cover tufted titmice use:
Acorns and bark insects.
Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed.
Acorns plus hundreds of caterpillar species for nestling food.
Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees.
Late-summer berry clusters taken by over 40 bird species.
Lipid-rich red fruit fuels fall migrants.
Late nectar for insects and fall seed for sparrows.
Insect-rich in fall and seed in winter.
Feeding tufted titmice through the Minnesota 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 Minnesota's winter: Temperatures below 0°F are routine — heated water, suet and roost boxes are survival aids, not extras.
Full diet breakdown for tufted titmice · Best feeder for tufted titmice
Frequently asked
Are tufted titmice in Minnesota year-round?
Yes. Tufted Titmice are year-round residents in Minnesota. Local in the southeast.
When do tufted titmice nest in Minnesota?
Nesting in Minnesota typically runs April–June, with 1 per season (sometimes 2). Clutches are 3–9 eggs, incubated for 12–14 days.
What native plants attract tufted titmice in Minnesota?
Bur oak, Serviceberry, White oak, Black cherry, American elderberry, Spicebush, New England aster, Tall goldenrod are native plants in Minnesota 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 Minnesota
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 — Minnesota
- 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.