Great Tit
The Great Tit is a passerine bird in the tit family. It is large for a tit species at 4.9 to 5.5 inches in length and it has a distinctive appearance that makes it easy to recognise.
The nominate race, which is found throughout much of Europe, Asia Minor, north and east Kazakhstan, south Siberia and north Mongolia, has a bluish-black crown, black neck, throat, bib and head and white cheeks and ear coverts. The breast is bright lemon-yellow and there is a broad black mid-line stripe running from the bib to the vent. There is a dull white spot on the neck turning to greenish yellow on the upper nape. The rest of the nape and back are green tinged with olive. The wing-coverts are green and the rest of the wing is bluish-grey with a white-wing-bar. The tail is bluish grey with white outer tips. The plumage of the female is similar to that of the male except that the colours are generally duller and the bib is less intensely black, as is the line running down the belly which is also narrower and sometimes broken. There is some variation in the UK sub-species. It is broadly similar to the nominate race but has a slightly longer bill, the mantle is slightly deeper green, there is less white on the tail tips and the ventral mid-line stripe is broader on the belly.
The Great Tit has a wide distribution across much of Eurasia. It is found across all of Europe except for Iceland and northern Scandinavia. In North Africa it is found in Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. It also occurs across the Middle East and parts of central Asia from north Iran and Afghanistan to Mongolia, as well as across north Asia from the Urals as far east as north China and the Amur Valley.
The Great Tit can be found in a range of habitats but most commonly in open deciduous woodland, mixed forests, forest edges and gardens. In dense forests, including conifer forests, it is usually found in forest clearings. In north Siberia it is found in the boreal taiga. In north Africa it prefers oak forests as well as stands of Atlas cedar and even palm groves. In the east of its range, it favours riverine willow and birch forest. At higher altitudes it occupies habitats ranging from dense deciduous and coniferous forests to open areas with scattered trees.
The Great Tit is generally not migratory. Pairs will usually remain near or in their territory all year round even in the northern parts of their range. Young birds will disperse from their parents' territory but usually not far. Populations may become irruptive in poor or harsh winters and very large groups may unpredictably move from north Europe to the Baltic, the Netherlands, the UK and even as far as the south Balkans.
The Great Tit is monogamous and establish breeding territories in late January. Territories are usually reoccupied in successive years even if one of the pair dies so long as the brood is raised successfully. Females are likely to disperse to new territories if their nest is predated the previous year. The Great Tit is a seasonal breeder but the exact timing of breeding varies due to a number of factors, most importantly location. Most breeding occurs between January and September. In Europe the breeding season usually begins after March The amount of sunlight and daytime temperatures also affects the timing of breeding as does the peak abundance of caterpillar prey which itself is correlated to temperature.
The Great Tit is a cavity nester and occupies a hole that is usually inside a tree, although occasionally in a wall or rock face. It also readily takes to nest boxes. The nest inside the cavity is built by the female and is made of plant fibres, grasses, moss, hair, wool and feathers. The female often lays a very large clutch of eggs, as many as 18 although 5 to 12 is more common. Clutch size is smaller when females start laying later and it is also lower when the density of competitors is higher. Second broods also tend to have smaller clutches. The female undertakes all incubation duties and is fed by the male during this time. The timing of hatching, which is synchronised with peak availability of food, can be manipulated when environmental conditions change after the laying of the first egg by delaying the beginning of incubation, laying more eggs or pausing during incubation. The incubation period is between 12 and 15 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and the nestling period is between 16 and 22 days. The chicks become independent of the parents 8 days after fledging although feeding may continue after independence and last up to a further 25 days.
The Great Tit is primarily insectivorous in the summer and feeds on a wide range of insects and spiders. During the breeding season, protein-rich caterpillars are fed to the young. In autumn and winter, when insect prey becomes scarcer, berries and seeds are added to the diet. Where it is available, it will also readily take table scraps, peanuts and sunflower seeds from bird tables. The Great Tit, along with other tits, joins winter mixed-species foraging flocks.
The Great Tit has generally adjusted to human modifications of the environment. Whilst it is more common and has better breeding success in areas with undisturbed forest cover, it has adapted well to human modified habitats and can be very common in urban and suburban areas. While there have been some localised declines in population in areas with poorer quality habitats, its large range and high numbers mean that the Great Tit is not considered to be threatened and it is classed as “Least Concern” by the IUCN.
Date: 10th January 2019
Location: RSPB Greylake, Somerset
The nominate race, which is found throughout much of Europe, Asia Minor, north and east Kazakhstan, south Siberia and north Mongolia, has a bluish-black crown, black neck, throat, bib and head and white cheeks and ear coverts. The breast is bright lemon-yellow and there is a broad black mid-line stripe running from the bib to the vent. There is a dull white spot on the neck turning to greenish yellow on the upper nape. The rest of the nape and back are green tinged with olive. The wing-coverts are green and the rest of the wing is bluish-grey with a white-wing-bar. The tail is bluish grey with white outer tips. The plumage of the female is similar to that of the male except that the colours are generally duller and the bib is less intensely black, as is the line running down the belly which is also narrower and sometimes broken. There is some variation in the UK sub-species. It is broadly similar to the nominate race but has a slightly longer bill, the mantle is slightly deeper green, there is less white on the tail tips and the ventral mid-line stripe is broader on the belly.
The Great Tit has a wide distribution across much of Eurasia. It is found across all of Europe except for Iceland and northern Scandinavia. In North Africa it is found in Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. It also occurs across the Middle East and parts of central Asia from north Iran and Afghanistan to Mongolia, as well as across north Asia from the Urals as far east as north China and the Amur Valley.
The Great Tit can be found in a range of habitats but most commonly in open deciduous woodland, mixed forests, forest edges and gardens. In dense forests, including conifer forests, it is usually found in forest clearings. In north Siberia it is found in the boreal taiga. In north Africa it prefers oak forests as well as stands of Atlas cedar and even palm groves. In the east of its range, it favours riverine willow and birch forest. At higher altitudes it occupies habitats ranging from dense deciduous and coniferous forests to open areas with scattered trees.
The Great Tit is generally not migratory. Pairs will usually remain near or in their territory all year round even in the northern parts of their range. Young birds will disperse from their parents' territory but usually not far. Populations may become irruptive in poor or harsh winters and very large groups may unpredictably move from north Europe to the Baltic, the Netherlands, the UK and even as far as the south Balkans.
The Great Tit is monogamous and establish breeding territories in late January. Territories are usually reoccupied in successive years even if one of the pair dies so long as the brood is raised successfully. Females are likely to disperse to new territories if their nest is predated the previous year. The Great Tit is a seasonal breeder but the exact timing of breeding varies due to a number of factors, most importantly location. Most breeding occurs between January and September. In Europe the breeding season usually begins after March The amount of sunlight and daytime temperatures also affects the timing of breeding as does the peak abundance of caterpillar prey which itself is correlated to temperature.
The Great Tit is a cavity nester and occupies a hole that is usually inside a tree, although occasionally in a wall or rock face. It also readily takes to nest boxes. The nest inside the cavity is built by the female and is made of plant fibres, grasses, moss, hair, wool and feathers. The female often lays a very large clutch of eggs, as many as 18 although 5 to 12 is more common. Clutch size is smaller when females start laying later and it is also lower when the density of competitors is higher. Second broods also tend to have smaller clutches. The female undertakes all incubation duties and is fed by the male during this time. The timing of hatching, which is synchronised with peak availability of food, can be manipulated when environmental conditions change after the laying of the first egg by delaying the beginning of incubation, laying more eggs or pausing during incubation. The incubation period is between 12 and 15 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and the nestling period is between 16 and 22 days. The chicks become independent of the parents 8 days after fledging although feeding may continue after independence and last up to a further 25 days.
The Great Tit is primarily insectivorous in the summer and feeds on a wide range of insects and spiders. During the breeding season, protein-rich caterpillars are fed to the young. In autumn and winter, when insect prey becomes scarcer, berries and seeds are added to the diet. Where it is available, it will also readily take table scraps, peanuts and sunflower seeds from bird tables. The Great Tit, along with other tits, joins winter mixed-species foraging flocks.
The Great Tit has generally adjusted to human modifications of the environment. Whilst it is more common and has better breeding success in areas with undisturbed forest cover, it has adapted well to human modified habitats and can be very common in urban and suburban areas. While there have been some localised declines in population in areas with poorer quality habitats, its large range and high numbers mean that the Great Tit is not considered to be threatened and it is classed as “Least Concern” by the IUCN.
Date: 10th January 2019
Location: RSPB Greylake, Somerset
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