Nature Bulletin No. 179-A   February 13, 1965
Forest Preserve District of Cook County
Seymour Simon, President
Roland F. Eisenbeis, Supt. of Conservation

****:CHICKADEES, TITMICE AND NUTHATCHES

Of the songbirds which remain in the northern portions of the central 
and eastern states all winter, there are three very closely related yet 
entirely different in appearance the chickadee, the titmouse and the 
nuthatch. Elsewhere the species may be different, but in the Chicago 
area we have the Black-capped Chickadee, the Tufted Titmouse, and 
the White-breasted Nuthatch. The red-breasted nuthatch is an 
irregular migrant from far north.

People who roam the woodlands in wintertime, and particularly those 
who live near a wooded area and maintain a bird-feeding board at 
home -- whether in the country, in the suburbs, or near a park or a 
cemetery in the city -- soon come to know these three. They are 
primarily insect eaters, valuable because they search for and consume 
great quantities of the eggs, larvae, pupae and adults of insects 
harmful to shade trees, orchards and forest trees. Therefore, they are 
particularly fond of sunflower and other fatty seeds, suet, and a 
doughball mixture of cornmeal, oatmeal, a little white flour and 
melted fat. These three and the cardinal, the bluejay, the downy 
woodpecker, and the junco comprise our most common native 
songbirds in winter.

Smallest of the three and most trustful -- first to investigate a feeding 
board -- is the round fluffy little chickadee: very saucy, very spruce in 
its livery of black, gray and white. Smaller than a sparrow, it is the 
only bird with a black cap and a black bib under its chin. It has a very 
short bill and its eye, surrounded by the edge of the black cap, is 
almost invisible. It is the most vividly cheerful and active citizen of the 
winter woods, blithely hustling about in snowstorms and bitter cold, 
occasionally calling a cheery "Chicka-dee-dee, day-day-day". It is 
quite an acrobat and as it flits thru the woods you may see it turn a 
somersault to alight on the underside of a branch which it proceeds to 
investigate, out to the twigs and buds, for insects. It also likes small 
berries, such as those of poison ivy.

The Tufted Titmouse, or tomtit, or sugar bird, is more wary and is apt 
to appear suddenly on your feeding board, seize a morsel and dart 
away. When it becomes tamer it will jab away at a chunk of suet or 
seize a seed between its feet and crack it with rapid hammer-strokes of 
its bill. The titmouse has a pointed crest, long slender tail, large dark 
eyes and a strong cone-shaped bill. Its upper plumage is mousy gray, 
tinged with olive on the back. The lower parts are whitish, washed 
with rusty color on the flanks.

Like the chickadee, it works along the upper branches and twigs of 
trees searching for insects, but it is not so fond of queer positions. Its 
song is a loud clear whistle: "Peter, peter, peter". Both of these birds, 
and the nuthatch, nest in old woodpecker holes, tree cavities, or 
cavities they excavate in punky wood, but the titmouse nearly always 
includes an old snakeskin in its nesting material, and a lot of hair. It 
has been seen plucking hairs from a squirrel's tail, and from the back 
of a woodchuck.

The nuthatch, or "upside-down-bird", is much different: more 
deliberate, and fond of creeping jerkily up and down the trunks and 
larger branches of trees, usually head downward, silently probing for 
insects. Occasionally it will utter a nasal "Yank, yank". Bluish-gray 
above, it has a black cap, beady black eyes set in white cheeks, but no 
black bib below its chin. It has a stubby tail and a long bill, perkily 
pointed slightly upward. Unlike the chickadee and titmouse it will 
place a seed in a crevice of bark and then hammer at it. They also store 
food in such cracks. No other tree climber habitually goes down tree 
trunks headfirst.

Take a winter walk and get acquainted with our feathered friends.