Tufted Titmice in Tennessee
When tufted titmice are present in Tennessee, when they nest, which native Tennessee plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 6a–8a yard.
- Status in Tennessee
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- April–June
- Broods
- 1 per season (sometimes 2)
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 6a–8a
- Nest box
- 1 1/4 in round hole, 4 × 4 in floor, 5–15 ft
When to expect tufted titmice in Tennessee
Tufted Titmouses live in Tennessee all year. Moderate winters; high elevations in the Smokies hold northern species year-round. 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 subtropical, from the Great Smoky Mountains to the Mississippi River floodplain.
Nesting in Tennessee
Across Tennessee, 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.
Hot, humid summers in the valleys.
- 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 Tennessee plants that attract tufted titmice
Of the regional native plants we track for Tennessee, these 8 provide food or cover tufted titmice use:
Fat-rich red fall fruit taken by thrushes, bluebirds and woodpeckers.
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.
Feeding tufted titmice through the Tennessee 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 Tennessee's winter: Moderate winters; high elevations in the Smokies hold northern species year-round.
Full diet breakdown for tufted titmice · Best feeder for tufted titmice
Frequently asked
Are tufted titmice in Tennessee year-round?
Yes. Tufted Titmice are year-round residents in Tennessee.
When do tufted titmice nest in Tennessee?
Nesting in Tennessee 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 Tennessee?
Flowering dogwood, Serviceberry, White oak, Bur oak, Black cherry, American elderberry, Arrowwood viburnum, Spicebush are native plants in Tennessee 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 Tennessee
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 — Tennessee
- 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.