FAMILY ParidcE 



tell them apart on account of the resemblance 

 of then- lisping call notes. 



The nesting habits of the chestnut-backed 

 chickadee are in all respects like those of the 

 Oregon chickadee. 



Bush-tit, Psaltriparus minimus mini- 

 vius. 4.25 



Distribution: Pacific Coast region from 

 Washington to Lower California; and from 

 the Cascades and Sierra Nevadas to the 

 Pacific. The California bush-tit of California, 

 except on the northwest coast, and the lead- 

 colored bush-tit of eastern Oregon, to Wyom- 

 ing and south to Arizona, Texas and Califor- 

 nia are closely related species. 



The bush-tit is found everywhere from the 

 mountains to the sea but mostly in open 

 country away from heavy timber. One may 

 expect to see it along the edges of woods 

 roads in second growth timber, and in the 

 tangle of fallen logs and brush in slashings 

 and cut-over lands. Then too the brushy 

 slopes of deep canyons afford cover for these 

 little gray birds as they go trooping from 

 place to place in search of food. They may 

 be seen clinging head downwards in true 

 titmouse fashion as they examine every 

 curled leaf or cocoon for a possible chrysalis 

 38 



