Photo: Alex Critch / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
American Bushtit
Psaltriparus minimus
American Bushtit (Psaltriparus minimus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of North America.
Found across 10 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The American Bushtit (Psaltriparus minimus) is a member of the Aegithalidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and North America. Adults weigh 5.3 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Aegithalidae Bushtits
- Genus Psaltriparus
- Species minimus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 5.3 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Aegithalidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The American Bushtit is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open woodland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The American Bushtit is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The American Bushtit (Psaltriparus minimus) is a member of the Aegithalidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Central America & Caribbean and North America. Its distribution covers NA, MA sw Canada to Guatemala.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 5.3 g, with a wing length of about 4.5 cm and a tail of around 5.2 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 2.7 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the American Bushtit?
The American Bushtit is a very small bird that weighs around 5.3 g.
Where does the American Bushtit live?
The American Bushtit is found across Central America & Caribbean and North America with a range covering NA, MA sw Canada to Guatemala, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the American Bushtit belong to?
The American Bushtit (Psaltriparus minimus) belongs to the Aegithalidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the American Bushtit eat?
The American Bushtit is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the American Bushtit migrate?
The American Bushtit is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the American Bushtit endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the American Bushtit make?
1 real field recording of the American Bushtit — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the American Bushtit's range?
The American Bushtit has a mapped global range of about 2.7 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
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