Page 347 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

TITS AND ALLIES
Order Passeriformes Family Paridae Species Parus cristatus
Crested Tit pointed crest,
mottled black-
and white

brown
tail warm brown white face
back with black
edge to
cheek
brown plain black
wings wings bib

IN FLIGHT
buff
underside
FLIGHT: weak, flitting, quite quick, with bursts or
flurries of wingbeats.
here are titmice with crests elsewhere in the world but this one
Tis unique in Europe and thus easy to identify even in silhouette.
It is a pine forest specialist, in the UK restricted to northern Scotland
and more numerous in ancient pine forest than in newer plantations.
It seems to require some variation, with clearings and forest edge, as
well as dead or dying tree stumps in which it can nest. It is easily
located by its distinctive stuttering call.
Like other titmice, the Crested Tit is PINE SPECIALIST
almost oblivious to the presence of Although found in mixed woods in
people and can be watched feeding Europe, most Crested Tits prefer
from very close range. old pine forest, with dead trees and
VOICE Quick, low, rather soft trill stumps to excavate a nest-hole in.
or stutter, b’d-rrrr-rup, also usual thin,
high tit zit or zee.
NESTING Soft cup in hole in
decaying tree stump; 5–7 eggs;
1 brood;April–June.
FEEDING Eats small insects and
spiders; in winter, takes seeds, many
from stores made in spring; visits
feeders in wooded gardens.
SIMILAR SPECIES OCCURRENCE
Breeds in N Scotland and most of
black cap without no crest no crest mainland Europe except extreme
crest
N Scandinavia, Italy, and most
of Balkans. Present all year round
wingbars mostly in conifer forest, and
locally in deciduous woods in
mainland Europe.
COAL TIT MARSH TIT WILLOW TIT Seen in the UK
see p.343 see p.347 see p.346 J F M A M JJ A S O N D
Length 11.5cm (4 1 ⁄2in) Wingspan 17–20cm (6 1 ⁄2 –8in) Weight 10–13g ( 3 ⁄8 – 7 ⁄16oz)
Social Loose flocks Lifespan 2–3 years Status Secure
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