American bushtit

Psaltriparus minimus

The American bushtit is the only species in the family Aegithalidae found in the New World, and the only member of the genus "Psaltriparus". In North America, it is referred to simply as "bushtit".
Bushtit looking fierce You can differentiate the males from the females by the eye color. Females have a pale eye. American bushtit,Geotagged,Psaltriparus minimus,United States

Appearance

The American bushtit inhabits mixed open woodlands, often containing oaks and a scrubby chaparral understory; it also inhabits parks and gardens. It is a year-round resident of the western United States and highland parts of Mexico, ranging from Vancouver through the Great Basin and the lowlands and foothills of California to southern Mexico and Guatemala.

The American bushtit is one of the smallest passerines in North America, at 11 cm in length and 5–6 g in weight. It is gray-brown overall, with a large head, a short neck, a long tail, and a short stubby bill. The male has dark eyes and the adult female, yellow. Coastal forms have a brown "cap" while those in the interior have brown "mask."

The American bushtit is active and gregarious, foraging for small insects and spiders in mixed-species feeding flocks containing species such as chickadees and warblers, of 10 to over 40 individuals. Members of the group constantly make contact calls to each other that can be described as a short "spit".
American bushtit - Psaltriparus minimus Morro Bay, CA, US American bushtit,Fall,Geotagged,Psaltriparus minimus,United States

Behavior

The American bushtit inhabits mixed open woodlands, often containing oaks and a scrubby chaparral understory; it also inhabits parks and gardens. It is a year-round resident of the western United States and highland parts of Mexico, ranging from Vancouver through the Great Basin and the lowlands and foothills of California to southern Mexico and Guatemala.

The American bushtit is one of the smallest passerines in North America, at 11 cm in length and 5–6 g in weight. It is gray-brown overall, with a large head, a short neck, a long tail, and a short stubby bill. The male has dark eyes and the adult female, yellow. Coastal forms have a brown "cap" while those in the interior have brown "mask."

The American bushtit is active and gregarious, foraging for small insects and spiders in mixed-species feeding flocks containing species such as chickadees and warblers, of 10 to over 40 individuals. Members of the group constantly make contact calls to each other that can be described as a short "spit".

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Status: Least concern
EX EW CR EN VU NT LC
Taxonomy
KingdomAnimalia
DivisionChordata
ClassAves
OrderPasseriformes
FamilyAegithalidae
GenusPsaltriparus
SpeciesMinimus