The Tufted Titmouse, Baeolophus bicolor, occurs in Texas in the central and eastern parts of the state. The orange stripe along the flank, the brown or black patch above the bill, and the gray top-notch are the characters that distinguish this tiny member of the Paridae family from other birds.
These pictures were taken in Fort Worth where there is a chance for the Black-crested Titmouse to occur. If these were Black-crested titmice, they would have a black crest and no brown or black spot over the top of the bill.
These birds are generally working in groups and they will also be seen with Carolina Chickadees. They are difficult to photograph because they flit from place to place before you
can line up a shot. What you see here is the product of being at the right place and ready when they were around.
The above image gives you some indication of their size since they are barely bigger than the elm and oak leaves in the picture. On calm days, you can be walking in the woods and hear these little fellas thrashing leaves around to find insects and seeds. These are the only little gray birds that have cardinal like crests.
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