|  Tufted Titmouse
(Baeolophus bicolor)
 This songbird with the perky crest is a year-round resident of the eastern United States. Its nickname in some areas is Jack Frost’s trumpeter, because it is one of the first species to appear at birdfeeders when food starts getting scarce in fall.
The titmouse is an active little bird, darting around as it looks for seeds, nuts, and insects. It is also a bit saucy. It likes to line its nest with shed fur, but it has actually been known to pull hairs from living animals!
The titmouse’s range has greatly expanded in the past 50 years. It used to be found in the area roughly between Iowa and New Jersey, and it usually migrated south. Now the titmouse can be found throughout New England and into southern Canada, and in many areas it is a non-migrating resident. Because the titmouse is fond of birdfeeders, this change could be related to increased availability of winter food in these regions.
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