Diet
What do tufted titmice eat?
Insects in summer; seeds, nuts and suet in winter, with caching.
Spring and summer diet
- Caterpillars, beetles and wasps
- Spiders and insect eggs
Fall and winter diet
- Acorns and beechnuts
- Sunflower, peanuts and suet at feeders
Best feeder foods
- Black-oil sunflower
- Shelled peanuts
- Suet
Titmice favor large seeds, carrying them off to hammer open or cache within about 130 ft of the feeder.
Where tufted titmice need winter food
Regions where tufted titmice are present in the cold months:
AlabamaArkansasConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriNebraskaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew YorkNorth CarolinaOhioOklahomaOntarioPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaTennesseeTexasVermontVirginiaWest VirginiaWisconsin
Frequently asked
What do tufted titmice eat?
Insects in summer; seeds, nuts and suet in winter, with caching.
What is the best food to feed tufted titmice?
Black-oil sunflower, Shelled peanuts, Suet.
What do tufted titmice eat in winter?
Acorns and beechnuts; Sunflower, peanuts and suet at feeders.
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
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.