This tufted titmouse may look like its dreaming of warmer weather but it’s actually keeping a close eye on a hawk soaring overhead in search of a meal. It’s taking meals of black sunflower seeds offered at a wildlife feeding station in the Oak Openings Region.
It is amazing that a small songbird like this can survive the bitter cold we’ve experienced in recent days, but it’s well-adapted, provided it has adequate food and a tree cavity or similar cover for protection, especially overnight. This bird is fluffing its feathers, trapping a layer of warm air in its down, just as we do with a down jacket. Like many species, titmice will anticipate the winter by hiding seeds and nuts for food, though well-maintained backyard feeding stations can make an important difference, especially in the depths of winter.
