Black-crested titmouse

Black-crested titmouse
Scientific classification
Kingdom Information
Domain	Eukaryota
Kingdom	Animalia
Subkingdom	Bilateria
Branch	Deuterostomia
Phylum Information
Phylum	Chordata
Sub-phylum	Vertebrata
Infraphylum	Gnathostomata
Class Information
Superclass	Tetrapoda
Class	Aves
Sub-class	Neornithes
Infra-class	Neoaves
Order Information
Superorder	Passerimorphae
Order	Passeriformes
Sub-order	Passeri
Infraorder	Passerida
Family Information
Superfamily	Passeroidea
Family	Paridae
Genus Information
Genus	Baeolophus
Species Information
Species	B. atricristatus
Population statistics
Population	Unknown (2016 est.)
Conservation status	Least concern

The black-crested or Mexican titmouse (Baeolophus atricristatus) is a small species of passerine bird of the family Paridae, and found in the south-central United States and Mexico.

Description

The black-crested titmouse is 5.5 to 6.0 inches long, and weighs about 0.54 to 0.73 ounces; one third of the length is made up by the tail. The plumage for males is gray with a slight bluish-to black tinge, with a black crest; the crest is used as a signaling device, indicating status according to dominance, or aggressiveness, and usually near food supplies. Females are gray with a brown tinge. The face, chest and stomach are whitish to cream-colored, with a light orange-brown on the rear flanks. The beak is short, strong and blackish horn-colored. The iris is black. Legs and feet are slate gray.

The call is described as a short heeip, or quick, harsh heepheepheep.

Subspecies

The species was once considered a subspecies itself to the tufted titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor). Recent assessments and studies determined there was enough physical and genetic differences to warrant a reclassification to full species status by 2002.

• Baeolophus atricristatus atricristatus; southern Texas and northeastern Mexico (northeastern Coahuila and Tamaulipas to southern Veracruz)
• Baeolophus atricristatus paloduro; Texas panhandle and southwestern Oklahoma; southwestern Texas to Mexico (northwestern Coahuila)
• Baeolophus atricristatus sennetti; central and southern Texas (south to Brooks County, west to Terrell County)

Range and habitat

The black-crested titmouse is found in the United States from the Texas panhandle and southwestern Oklahoma south to Mexico along roughly both sides of the Sierra Madre Oriental range to the area around Tuxpan. A small population also exists around Santiago Tuxtla, southeast of Veracruz. It lives in subtropical to tropical moist or dry lowland forests and shrublands.

Reproduction

The black-crested titmouse is monogamous, yet lives in groups during the winter, and in pairs during the spring and summer breeding season. The nest is built from moss, dried up grass, dry leaves and animal hair by the female in existing tree cavities to a height of around forty feet. Five to six eggs are laid between February and June, one egg per day, and with the possibility of two clutches during the season. The eggs have a white base color and are covered with small brown, reddish or purple spots. The females then incubate for 12 to 14 days, with both parents feeding the chicks, who are fledged after 15 to 16 days.