This morning I witnessed wing-flicking begging behavior in a titmouse.
This presumed fledgling was traveling with a group of 4 or 5 titmice
scurrying about the trees and utility wires across from my house in
Staunton. I did not have binoculars to check out plumage details; it
was full size. As another titmouse, presumably an adult, approached the
wing flicking of this bird became more intense and rapid and the crest
was laid back. I did not see any actual feeding take place -- a bus
drove by and the flock retreated into the trees. From my limited
reading I learned that this species can have two broods per season.
However, even with two broods these activities usually conclude by mid
August. Tufted titmice have a 2 week incubation period and the young
leave the nest in 18-21 days. This suggests that this youngster was
hatched in early to mid October, which seems very, very late to me. Is
this a possible 3rd brood or aberrant behavior by an older juvenile?
John Spahr
Staunton
