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Order: Passeriformes
Family: Paridae
Genus: Baeolophus
Species: inornatus
La. passer sparrow, small bird
La. forma form, kind, species
La. parum too little
La. parus titmouse, tomtit
Gr. baios short, small
Gr. lophos crest
La. in negation
La. orno ornament
La. ornatus adorned
About five inches or a little longer. Gray forehead extending
up to a conspicuous crest. Dark gray back, wings and tail. Dull white under parts. |
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| Year around resident of mixed forests and
wooded towns in California, Oregon, and Nevada
Builds nests of fine grasses, feathers, hair, fur and moss in
natural or abandoned cavities, often in oak trees and in out building nooks and crannies
or bird houses from near to the ground to thirty feet high.
Lays usually five to eight white sometimes speckled eggs which hatch after about two
weeks of incubation and young leave the nest in about another three weeks. |
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Like the rest of the Paradae family, they forage trees
and thickets in flocks for insects, seeds, nuts and fruit. Early ornithologists who used
to remove parents from nests for research discovered their fierce resistance even
returning to the nest while the researchers were inspecting the nests. |
| The Plain Titmouse Plain Titmouse Birdhouse (same as for
Tufted
Titmouse, Nuthatches, Downy Woodpecker and
Chickadees)
has a 4" by 4" floor, 9" inside ceiling, 1 1/4" diameter entrance hole
located 7" above the floor and ventilation openings. Assembled with corrosion
resistant screws fit to pre-drilled countersunk pilot holes. Hinged roof is secured with
shutter hooks for easy access. Mount nest box on a tree trunk from chest level to just
out of reach, higher only if necessary. Remove the nest after the brood rearing seasons
are over.
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