This titmouse lives year-round primarily in the Great Basin, but is resident from southeastern Oregon and central Colorado south to the eastern Mojave Desert in California and central Arizona, as far as west Texas and extreme northeastern Sonora, Mexico-(the Madrean sky islands).

It prefers open woodlands of warm, dry pinyon-juniper, juniper and desert riparian woods.

The bird forages on foliage, twigs, branches, trunks, and occasionally on the ground.

Juniper titmice visit feeders with suet, peanut butter, and seeds.

The tufted titmouse, which does not overlap in range, has whiter belly, rusty flanks, and black on the forehead.