Page 349 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

TITS AND ALLIES
Order Passeriformes Family Paridae Species Parus palustris
Marsh Tit big, shiny black
cap extending to
back of neck
small, rounded small black
grey-brown wings neat, plain chin
grey-brown
upperparts
pale cheeks;
slim neck
no pale panel
on wings
pale grey-buff
underside

IN FLIGHT

arsh and Willow Tits are slim plain
Mremarkably alike and tail
present a real identification
challenge even to
experienced birdwatchers:
their calls are helpful. It is essential to know the most frequently
used ones to tell the two apart: a distinct pit-chew call is the best
clue to a Marsh Tit, quite unlike any call used by the Willow. Both
birds visit gardens but much less persistently than the Blue Tits and
Great Tits. Marsh Tits like the vicinity of mature deciduous trees, FLIGHT: low, weak, flitting, with bursts of
especially beeches and oaks, although they often forage at a low wingbeats, similar to close relatives.
level among thick undergrowth.They join mixed NEAT APPEARANCE
winter tit flocks, but usually only one or two hang A glossy cap and uniform wings
around at the edges. Like most tits, Marsh Tits use give the Marsh Tit a neat look, and
existing holes in which to nest, while Willow Tits are good identification clues to
excavate their own. distinguish it from the Willow Tit.
VOICE Loud calls, often titi-zee-zee-zee, tchair, most
distinctive a unique loud, bright, pit-chew!; song
infrequent, quick, rippling schip-schip-schip-schip.
NESTING Grass and moss cup in existing hole in
tree or wall, not often in nest box; 6–8 eggs;
1 brood;April–June.
FEEDING Mostly feeds on insects and spiders in
summer; takes seeds, berries, and nits in autumn
and winter, often from ground.
SIMILAR SPECIES
OCCURRENCE
much smaller cap paler wing Breeds in S UK, S Scandinavia, and
panel east across middle Europe, south
to Italy and Balkans. In deciduous
no dark woodland and parkland with tall
white chin trees, sometimes visiting gardens
wingbars
to use feeders especially in winter.
COAL TIT BLACKCAP 32; WILLOW TIT Seen in the UK
see p.343 see p.316 see p.346 J F M A M JJ A S O N D
Length 11.5cm (4 1 ⁄2in) Wingspan 18–19cm (7–7 1 ⁄2in) Weight 10–12g ( 3 ⁄8 – 7 ⁄16oz)
Social Loose flocks Lifespan 2–3 years Status Secure
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