Bushtits
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They are very small, social birds, that live and feed in flocks in many West Coast habitats. Their diet consists of insects, spiders and seeds.
Their bodies are a mixture of gray and brown color. Typically their tail measures about half the size of their body.
The picture at the top of the page shows a fledgling learning the ins and outs of perching.
Male adult bushtits have black eyes and female adult bushtits have a white ring around the iris. Since fledglings take time to develop eye characteristics, the gender of the bird in the picture is difficult to determine.
Bushtit nests are engineering marvels.
While they are not colony nesters, groups of Bushtits are known for cooperative nest building.
Nests are generally woven from twigs, grass, spider webs and lined with feathers and other native materials, and they are hung from branchs above the ground.
© 2008. Patricia A. Michaels