Feisty and inquisitive, the Black-crested Titmouse is a beloved year-round resident of Woodline Ranch. It is easily distinguished from its eastern relative (the Tufted Titmouse) by its jet-black crest standing tall above a pale forehead.
Field Identification: Prominent black crest, white forehead patch, grey body, and rusty-peach washed flanks.
Texas & Hill Country Notes: The Black-crested Titmouse replaces the Tufted Titmouse across central and western Texas, interbreeding in a narrow hybrid zone near Austin. They routinely pluck hair directly from sleeping raccoons, deer, and dogs to line their soft tree cavity nests.
