A small grayish titmouse with prominent crest. Endemic to pinyon-juniper woodlands.
§ Quick facts
§ Encyclopedia
The juniper titmouse is a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. The American Ornithologists' Union split the plain titmouse into the oak titmouse and the juniper titmouse in 1996, due to distinct differences in song, preferred habitat, and genetic makeup.
Source: Wikipedia — Juniper titmouse Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
§ Identification
Field marks. Small, drab gray titmouse with a pointed crest and a plain face; essentially uniform gray overall.
Similar species. Oak Titmouse is nearly identical and separated by range (it occupies oak woodland farther west); Bridled Titmouse has a bold black-and-white face.
Voice. A rolling, repeated 'chiv-chiv-chiv' or rapid trill; scolding chatter.
§ Diet & behavior
Diet. Insects, seeds, occasional fruits; caches food in fall.
Behavior. A plain gray titmouse of pinyon-juniper woodland in the interior West; pries open juniper berries and pine seeds and is a year-round resident on territory.
§ Range
Great Basin and southwestern US
§ Habitat
Pinyon-juniper woodlands
§ Threats
Pinyon-juniper habitat loss to drought.
§ Conservation status
According to the IUCN Red List, the juniper titmouse is currently classified as Least Concern.
§ What helps
Support pinyon-juniper habitat conservation.
§ Further reading
- Wikipedia — Juniper titmouse
- www.allaboutbirds.org — authoritative profile of Baeolophus ridgwayi
- IUCN Red List — search for Baeolophus ridgwayi
- GBIF occurrence records
- Encyclopedia of Life — Baeolophus ridgwayi
§ Sources cited
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology — All About Birds
- National Audubon Society
- iNaturalist
- IUCN Red List
