Bushtit

It is said that the character of the home reflects the quality of the occupant, and the
tiny grey Bush tit sets a fine example. This little bird masterfully weaves spider webs,
grass, moss and lichen into what one might mistake for an old, grey sock hanging
from a bush. A 3 centimetre entrance hole is set high on one side, allowing both par-
ents access while concealing the five or six tiny, white eggs.
Bushtits typically hang upside down or sideways from branches in search Of insect
eggs and larvae. Because their drab bodies and grey-brown heads blend in well with
the shrubbery, it is their soft, lisping seeps and twitters that help to keep flocks of 30
or so birds together. Beef suet is popular with Bushtits—they mob the fat like a swarm
of bees. To avoid having the suet taken by crows and starlings, hang it from a flimsy
branch.

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