Page 450 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

TITS AND ALLIES/NUTHATCHES
Family Paridae Species Parus cyanus Family Paridae Species Parus cinctus
Azure Tit Siberian Tit

A rare bird of remote places, this is a little-known With a pattern recalling a Willow Tit (see p.346), this
species in Europe. It has a basic Blue Tit-like look bigger bird also has a richer,brighter brown back and
(see p.344), but lacks yellow and green entirely, and rusty flanks, contrasting with grey wings, white cheeks,
has a longer tail with broad white sides.The crown and a dark brownish cap and bib.The cap is often dull,
is all white (no blue cap), the back pale grey, and washed grey or grey-brown. From the front, the bib
wings blue with broad white bands.The underside makes a broad wedge under the large, almost bulbous
is all white. Hybrids of Azure and Blue Tits cheeks. In very cold conditions in northern conifer
have a pale blue cap and bluer tails with all-white forest,it is often fluffed out,looking unexpectedly large.
crown
less white at the corners. OCCURRENCE Breeds in N Scandinavia
OCCURRENCE Breeds in extreme in old, remote forest and birch wood.
NE Europe in damp woods VOICE Basic zi-zi-tah tah tah much
and willow stands. like Willow but less emphatic;
VOICE Most calls song more nasal and buzzing.
very like Blue
Tit’s; song more
stuttering.
grey wings
long tail
brown flanks

Length 12–13cm (4 3 ⁄4 –5in) Wingspan 19–21cm (7 1 ⁄2 –8 1 ⁄2in) Length 13–14cm (5–5 1 ⁄2in) Wingspan 20–21cm (8–8 1 ⁄2in)

Family Paridae Species Parus lugubris Family Sittidae Species Sitta whiteheadi
Sombre Tit Corsican Nuthatch
The same size as a Great Tit (see p.342), the Sombre A tiny nuthatch of pine forest in Corsica, this
Tit’s basic pattern is more like a Willow Tit’s (see p.346). unmistakable bird has a typical stout,tapered nuthatch
It has a deep, grey-black cap, a very large, wide black form, with a spike-like bill, short legs but strong feet,
bib, and a restricted wedge of white between these and short, square tail held well clear of its perch. Males
across the cheeks. It is a rather heavy have a blackish cap and eye-stripe separated by a long
white wedge
little bird, with a thick bill. Relatively on cheeks white line. Females have the black replaced by grey,
quiet, it does not draw attention to but the white line over the eye is equally distinctive.
itself unless calling. OCCURRENCE Only found in spiky bill
OCCURRENCE Breeds in woods Corsica, in mature pine forest in
or on bushy slopes, in Balkans, high mountain valleys.
grey
Turkey, and Middle East. VOICE Throaty,
above
VOICE Like Blue Tit harsh call, repeated
(see p.344), plus at intervals; song
grey
Great Tit-like back an even, fast,
grating churrs. high trill.
pale,
pale streak dull grey
on wings below buff-
grey
square below
tail
FEMALE
Length 13–14cm (5–5 1 ⁄2in) Wingspan 21–23cm (8 1 ⁄2 –9in) Length 11–12cm (4 1 ⁄4 –4 3 ⁄4in) Wingspan 21–22cm (8 1 ⁄2 –9in)
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