Oak Titmouse on the Tuolumne River

Here's a fairly rare visitor to my blog pages. I've only captured semi-decent pictures twice in the past, once at MJC, and once in my backyard (!). On my walk the other day along the Tuolumne River, I saw an Oak Titmouse (Baeolophus inornatus) perched on the Elderberry bower where I've seen a multitude of bird species. I've been able to stand inside the "bower" and have birds landing all around me. Today I was still approaching the shrub when I saw the silhouette of a bird with a crest. That usually means Phainopepla, but this one was too small. Therefore it had to be the Titmouse. It was most polite and remained perched for a dozen or so pictures.

"Be sure to get the left profile; it's my best side"

The Oak Titmouse is essentially a California endemic species, with populations in Baja (which is California, despite the international boundary). They spill over into Oregon a bit on the north end of the state. They are closely associated with the vast oak woodlands that cover the coast ranges and Sierra Nevada foothills. There is a closely related species, the Juniper Titmouse (they were once considered the same species), but there are specific differences, and the two populations are geographically separated by the Sierra Nevada (there is only a small area of overlapping range). Once again, this allows us to see evolution in action: the birds have diverged in part due to the different vegetation in the higher, colder and drier Basin and Range province beyond the Sierra Nevada.

An Oak Titmouse, the Quintessential California Bird, in my Backyard

I don't report on birds from my backyard very often. I have several feeders, but for the most part they attract California Scrub Jays, House Finches and European (House) Sparrows. But once in awhile a more unusual bird will show up. The White Crowned Sparrows have arrived on their fall migration, for instance, and today there was a Black Phoebe in the yard, which I've only seen there once before. But the other bird was a surprise, because I've never seen one here ever: an Oak Titmouse (Baeolophus inornatus).

It was fairly cautious, waiting until the other birds left the feeder, and quickly grabbing a bit and then retreating to the Mulberry tree. It came back four times, and I tried to be ready, but only got these couple of slightly overexposed shots. I'll have to spend more time back there "relaxing".

The Oak Titmouse is about as close as a bird can be to being a California endemic species without actually being one. Like the Acorn Woodpecker, it ranges through the California oak woodlands that extend from the northern edge of Baja California to the hills and mountains of southern Oregon. There is a closely related species in Nevada called the Juniper Titmouse. They were once considered to be a single species, but there are differences in their coloration, and also in their songs. They are almost completely isolated by the Sierra Nevada with only a small area of overlap in northwest corner of the state.

A bonus shot of a White-crowned Sparrow, which also visited this morning

Bird of the Day: A California Original, the Oak Titmouse

Diminutive and drab, it's not very Californian from an anthropomorphic point of view, but there are few birds that are as unique to the state as this little Oak Titmouse (Baeolophus inornatus). They range a little into southern Oregon and a bit into the northernmost part of Baja California, but mainly they populate the vast oak woodlands that characterize so much of California: the Peninsular Ranges outside of San Diego, the Coast Ranges, the Sierra Nevada foothills, and a portion of the Great Valley. A corner of the "mini-wilderness" on the west campus is composed of a dozen or so huge oak trees, and I've not spent enough time looking up. These pictures represent only the second time I've seen the species, but I expect to see a few more now that I know where to seek them out. I saw this one during a lunchtime walk through the oaks in our campus "mini-wilderness".

The fate of the Oak Titmouse is closely tied to California's oak forests, which have been under a great deal of pressure from urbanization, disease, drought and wildfires. The titmouse population has declined by nearly 50% over the last five decades or so, although they are not yet considered endangered.

The oak woodland in our campus "mini-wilderness"

The Oak Titmice are highly territorial, and mate for life. They prefer cavities in older trees for nesting, where the female tends the nest and the male provides food. They are preyed upon by a number of mammalian, reptilian and avian predators, but they are also known to chase some of the raptors.

The Oak Titmouse is closely related to a bird of the Basin and Range province called the Juniper Titmouse. The Sierra Nevada and other ranges serve as an evolutionary barrier that has led to the contrasting traits of the two species, and their ranges overlap only on the Modoc Plateau in the northeast corner of California.  The Oak Titmouse is somewhat darker and has a unique song.

One can call them drab, but these are beautiful little birds. Look to see more of them in the future on these pages!