Heather's "mice"

-Parus bicolor

*length- 11.5 to 14cm (6.5 inches)

*song- clear whistle like "peter, peter"or "here, here"

*habitat- woodlands,shade trees, groves

*nest- 3 to 90 ft. high in woody or swampy areas

>eggs- 4 to 8 white with brown speckles Only one egg is laid a day, until all eggs have been laid.While searching for the info. for my page, I found numbers ranging anywhere from 4 to 5, 5 to 6, and 7 to 8. If you find other numbers, higher or lower, please e-mail the Belton Jr. High telling where you got the info, since this is a science project.

>incubaton- 13 to 14 days This is done only by the female; when she leaves the eggs are covered with nest material. While the mother wonders how on earth she got herself into doing practically nothing but sit on eggs all day, the father brings food for her, and eventually the little ones.

>nestling phase- 17 to 18 days They'll begin to hatch in one to two day preiods; the mother will take out the shells. When the birdlings learn to fly, they'll begin to follow their parents.

>fledgling phase- 4 or more weeks

*territory- 2 to 5 acres

*diet- insects, snails spiders, fruits, seeds, nuts

*beak- used to crack seeds and open snail shells

In the winter, Tufted Titmice will form loose flocks. They'll stay in an area about 15 to 20 acres. In the late winter to early spring, the flock will break-up into pairs and lone birds. Though flocks are formed, Tufted Titmice don't migrate. They mate around the break-up time. Once a pair has been made, the two "love birds" will mate for life. The longest recorded pair stayed together for three years. Couples can form at any time. These birds live up to 13 years.

Tuffy's Rescue

Tuffy was still immature when we found him plastered into a couple glue traps in my barn. It took us an hour and a half to get that poor bird out of the sticky contraption, leaving his feet last and keeping a good hold on his head. Soon enough the thing got free and tried to attack us, unsuccessfully with his beak.The next day, in a box, I took the ragged animal to my science teacher. That morning, my student teacher helped me take yet more glue off his wings and back feathers. At first sight we thought he was a Wax Wing, but that theory was put to rest when he was taken to the vet for even more cleaning. My teacher came to class and told me she was informed the little fighter was a Tufted Titmouse. Later, that kind student teacher decided he should be named after that part in the song "One Week" by the Bare-Naked Ladies when they sing "Tuffy, the Tufted Titmouse."