Bottom left is the light-eyed female, and bottom right is the dark-eyed male. At top right, notice the unusual hanging nest that these inconspicuous yet common birds weave.

Bushtits are tiny, long-tailed gray birds that travel in large busy flocks, relentlessly rocketing from one leafy bush or tree to the next, all while keeping up a contestant rapid twittering in order to keep the gang in active motion. These dynamic acrobats often hang upside down as they rapidly glean insects from leafy shrubbery. A careful observation of these frenetically moving dynamos, will disclose that the males have dark eyes whereas the female has a pale yellowish eye providing stark contrast to its tiny gray body.

Bushtits are common year-round inhabitants of urban parks and neighborhoods throughout the West and Southwest. Watch and listen for these diminutive dynamos as they sweep through your own backyard!

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