Tufted Titmice in Wisconsin
When tufted titmice are present in Wisconsin, when they nest, which native Wisconsin plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 3b–6a yard.
- Status in Wisconsin
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- May–June
- Broods
- 1 per season (sometimes 2)
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 3b–6a
- Nest box
- 1 1/4 in round hole, 4 × 4 in floor, 5–15 ft
- Range note
- Southern Wisconsin.
When to expect tufted titmice in Wisconsin
Tufted Titmouses live in Wisconsin all year — southern Wisconsin. Cold, snowy winters; boreal finches visit the north. 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 two Great Lakes shorelines, northern forest and southern prairie-oak savanna.
Nesting in Wisconsin
Across Wisconsin, 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.
Warm, humid summers.
- 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 Wisconsin plants that attract tufted titmice
Of the regional native plants we track for Wisconsin, 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.
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 Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin's winter: Cold, snowy winters; boreal finches visit the north.
Full diet breakdown for tufted titmice · Best feeder for tufted titmice
Frequently asked
Are tufted titmice in Wisconsin year-round?
Yes. Tufted Titmice are year-round residents in Wisconsin. Southern Wisconsin.
When do tufted titmice nest in Wisconsin?
Nesting in Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin?
Serviceberry, White oak, Bur oak, Black cherry, American elderberry, Spicebush, New England aster, Tall goldenrod are native plants in Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin
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 — Wisconsin
- 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.