Bushtit

Small songbirds are endearing. The tiny Bushtit is only slightly bigger than a hummingbird. While large flocks rove through neighborhoods in winter, breeding pairs establish territories in spring and build surprisingly large nests, which are a marvel of avian engineering. Here are some fascinating facts about the Bushtit:

• Less than four inches long from head to tail and weighs no more than six grams.

• Females have pale eyes and males have dark eyes.

• Year-round residents of western Washington, Oregon, and the American Southwest.

• Dwarfed by larger species of hummingbirds in the Southwest.

• Utilizes a variety of habitats, including deciduous and evergreen forests, riparian areas, and scrubland, as well as suburban backyards and parks.

• Sometimes visit suet feeders, and large, winter flocks can cover every square inch of a suet cage.

• In frigid weather, bushtits stay warm by huddling close together to reduce heat loss.

• Constantly in motion while foraging for spiders, insects, and other small invertebrates in trees and shrubs.

• Individuals stay in constant contact through a series of “psht” calls.

• Very agile, often hanging upside down to glean the underside of a branch or leaf.

• Weak flyers, usually taking only short, fluttery flights. Instead of flying together like finches, a flock will typically depart one bird at a time for the next tree or shrub.

• Nests in a tree or shrub between one and 30 meters off the ground.

• It takes a month for the pair to construct the nest, which is a hanging foot-long sock-like structure with an entrance hole near the top. Anchored to its supports by spider silk, the nest is a masterfully woven combination of moss, lichen, spider silk, and other plant material.

• As the nest is being built, one parent sits in the partially constructed nest to stretch it downward.

• Clutch size is 4 to 10 eggs. Mated pairs usually raise two broods per year.

• Non-breeders, called helpers, sometimes assist the pair with parenting duties. Parents, nestlings, and a couple of adult male helpers can all sleep inside the nest.