titmouse

views updated May 11 2018

tit·mouse / ˈtitˌmous/ • n. (pl. titmice / -ˌmīs/ ) a small songbird (Parus and other genera, familyParidae) that searches acrobatically for insects among foliage and branches. Its numerous species include the chickadees and the tufted titmouse (P. bicolor).

titmouse

views updated Jun 08 2018

titmouse (tit, chickadee) Small, stubby-bodied and large-headed bird of open woodlands and wooded parks of the Northern Hemisphere and Africa. Most true titmice nest in self-drilled holes or abandoned woodpecker holes. Family Paridae; genus Parus. The long-tailed titmice and bush tits of Eurasia and w North America are larger and build closed, often hanging, nests. Subfamily Aegithalinae.

titmouse

views updated May 29 2018

titmouse small bird of the genus Parus. XIV. ME. titmōse. f. TIT2 + mōse, OE. māse = MLG., MDu. mēse (Du. mess), OHG. meisa (G. meise) :- WGmc. *maisōn (cf. ON. meisingr). Alt. XVI by assoc. with MOUSE.

titmouse

views updated May 23 2018

titmouse See TITS.