Black-crested Titmouse or Mexican Titmouse

Description:

5.5 to 6 Inches (14 to 15 cm) long, with rusty flanks, gray upper-parts, and a whitish belly. The male has a long, dark black crest that is usually erect, while the female's crest is not as dark. Juvenile lacks black crest and has less buff on sides.

Habitat:

They like areas with a lot of trees and/or brush. This one was hanging around oak, juniper, and cedar trees in the hill country of Texas. I was staying at Foxfire Cabins, just down the road from Lost Maples on the Sabinal River (for those of you from Texas). They are year-round residents of their breeding range that extends from Texas into extreme southwest Oklahoma and northeast Mexico.