How to Spot a Bushtit

Look for the Bushtit in western North and Central America. The Bushtit lives year round from southwestern British Columbia south to Oregon and Washington and down into parts of Guatemala, in Central America. The Bushtit also lives as far east as parts of Texas and Colorado. You'll find these birds in a variety of different habitats including mountains, suburbs, forests, thickets and mixed woodlands.

Take note of the very small size of the Bushtit. This bird measures only 3 to 4.5 inches in length and weighs between .1 and .3 oz. The Bushtit's wingspan measures approximately 7 inches across.

Observe the Bushtit's primarily dull gray underparts, a paler gray color than their upperparts. Some varieties of the Bushtit's may have brown on their heads or near their eyes. They have long, fan-shaped tails and short, rounded wings. The bill of the Bushtit is dark in color and tiny. Female Bushtits have light colored eyes while males have dark colored eyes.

Listen to the sounds of the Bushtit at the What Bird website. (See link in Resources.) Bushtits make sounds quite frequently, especially when they are in a flock. These sounds resemble a "pit" or a "tsit" sound. Bushtits also have a high pitched, trilled alarm call that they make less frequently.

Watch the behaviors of the Bushtit. These birds have an acrobatic nature and may hang upside down while eating. They only fly for short durations at a time and appear to have a weak and fluttering flight pattern.