The best bird feeder and seed for titmice
Like chickadees, grab a single seed and leave. Comfortable on any perch. Shelled peanuts in a mesh feeder are a titmouse favourite.
Which feeder types do titmice use?
| Feeder | Holds | Squirrels | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tube feeder | Sunflower, hearts, mixes | Poor unless caged or weight-activated | The workhorse for small clinging birds. Metal ports resist squirrel chewing. |
| Hopper feeder | Sunflower, safflower, mixes | Poor unless weight-activated or baffled | A house-shaped reservoir with a wide ledge. The best all-round feeder for cardinals. |
| Peanut mesh feeder | Shelled peanuts | Squirrels chew through soft mesh; use steel | Birds peck pieces through the mesh, which is safer for nestlings than whole kernels. |
| Suet cage | Suet cakes | Squirrels chew suet | The simplest feeder there is. Hang on a trunk or pole. |
Feeders titmice use, budget to premium
Prices move constantly; the button shows the current figure.
What seed do titmice like best?
| Food | Why | Storage |
|---|---|---|
| Black oil sunflower | High oil content and a thin shell make it the widest-appeal seed there is. Most feeder birds in most of North America eat it. | Keeps well for months in a sealed metal can |
| Shelled peanuts | Raw or dry-roasted, never salted or flavoured. Use a mesh feeder so birds peck pieces rather than swallowing whole kernels in nesting season. | Keep dry and cool; mould is the risk |
| Sunflower hearts and chips | Costs more per pound but nothing is wasted as shell weight, and nothing sprouts under the feeder. The best choice over a patio or deck. | Spoils faster; buy what you use in a few weeks |
| Safflower | Bitter to many squirrels, grackles, starlings and house sparrows. Birds may need a week or two to switch to it; mix it with sunflower at first. | Keeps well |
Food to buy for titmice
Prices move constantly; the button shows the current figure.
Where and when should you feed titmice?
- Height and spot: 5 feet, near trees.
- When: Year round; travels with chickadee flocks in winter.
- Range: Eastern US.
- Feeding style: Feeds at hanging feeders; a pole with a baffle keeps squirrels off without bothering them.
The same setup also brings cardinals, blue jays, goldfinches, house finches and chickadees, which use the same feeder types.
Nesting: Titmice use nest boxes. See the Tufted Titmouse house dimensions: 4 x 4 inch floor, 1 1/4 in hole, mounted 5 to 15 ft up.
Feeders for other birds
Cardinals · Blue Jays · Goldfinches · House Finches · Chickadees · Nuthatches · Woodpeckers · Bluebirds · Wrens · Orioles · Hummingbirds · Mourning Doves · Juncos · Native Sparrows · Towhees · Grosbeaks · Robins · Mockingbirds · Pine Siskins · Purple Finches · Redpolls · Keeping starlings and grackles away · Red-bellied Woodpeckers · Downy Woodpeckers · Cedar Waxwings · Quail
Get the titmice feeding checklist
Feeder, seed, height and cleaning schedule for titmice on one printable page.
Used only to send the checklist.Frequently asked questions
What is the best bird feeder for titmice?
A tube feeder is the most reliable choice for titmice. Like chickadees, grab a single seed and leave. Comfortable on any perch. Pair it with black oil sunflower, place it 5 feet, near trees, and keep it clean every two weeks. A second feeder type such as a hopper feeder widens the appeal without adding much work.
What do titmice eat at feeders?
In order of preference: black oil sunflower, shelled peanuts, sunflower hearts and chips and safflower. High oil content and a thin shell make it the widest-appeal seed there is. Most feeder birds in most of North America eat it. Offer one food per feeder rather than a mix, so birds are not flicking unwanted grains onto the ground to get at the one they want.
Where should I put a feeder for titmice?
5 feet, near trees. Keep it within 3 feet of a window or beyond 30 feet to avoid collisions, at least 10 feet from anything a squirrel can jump from, and 10 to 12 feet from dense shrubs so titmice can reach cover without cats being able to ambush them.
When do titmice come to feeders?
Year round; travels with chickadee flocks in winter. Range: Eastern US. Keep feeders stocked and clean through the season titmice are present in your area, since a feeder that is empty for several days is often abandoned for a neighbour's.
Do titmice use birdhouses?
Yes. Titmice are cavity nesters and will use a nest box built to their dimensions: a 4 x 4 inch floor and a 1 1/4 in entrance, mounted 5 to 15 feet up. See the dedicated box page for placement.