The tit family of birds is a large family of small passerine birds that occur mainly in the Northern Hemisphere and Africa. Members of this family are commonly referred to as “tits” throughout much of the English-speaking world, but North American species are called either “chickadees” or “titmice”.
There are many different types of tit birds, each with their own unique traits. In this article, we will discover the many types of tit birds and their unique characteristics.
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From the Great Tit to the Willow Tit, these birds are adaptable and have a mixed diet that includes seeds and insects. Many species live around human habitation and come readily to bird feeders for nuts or seed, and learn to take other foods.
9 Types Of Tit Birds And Their Unique Traits
Great Tit
The Great Tit (Parus major) is a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. It is the largest member of the tit family in the UK. The Great Tit is a widespread and common species throughout Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, and east across the Palearctic to the Amur River, south to parts of North Africa where it is generally resident in any sort of woodland.
The Great Tit is a distinctive bird with a black head and neck, prominent white cheeks, olive upperparts, and yellow underparts, with some variation amongst the numerous subspecies.
The Great Tit is large for a tit at 12.5 to 14.0 cm (4.9–5.5 in) in length, and has a distinctive appearance that makes it easy to recognize.
The Great Tit is predominantly insectivorous in the summer, but will consume a wider range of food items in the winter months, including small hibernating bats. Like all tits, it is a cavity nester, usually nesting in a hole in a tree.
Eurasian Blue Tit
The Eurasian Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) is a small passerine bird in the tit family, Paridae. Here are some facts about the Eurasian Blue Tit:
– Appearance: A typical Eurasian Blue Tit has an azure-blue crown and dark blue line passing through the eye, and encircling the white cheeks to the chin, giving the bird a very distinctive appearance. The forehead and a bar on the wing are white. The nape, wings, and tail are blue, and the back is yellowish-green.
– Size: The Eurasian Blue Tit is usually 12 cm (4.7 in) long with a wingspan of 18 cm (7.1 in) for both sexes, and weighs about 11 g (0.39 oz).
– Habitat: The Eurasian Blue Tit is found throughout Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, and east across the Palearctic to the Amur River, south to parts of North Africa where it is generally resident in any sort of woodland.
– Diet: The Eurasian Blue Tit feeds mainly on insects and spiders in the summer, and seeds and other plant material in the winter.
– Vocalizations: The Eurasian Blue Tit is very vocal, with a high-pitched “zeedle” by both sexes during courtship and copulation. The female on the nest also gives a short, explosive hissing note in aggressive situations.
– Conservation status: The Eurasian Blue Tit is considered a species of “Least Concern” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
– Interesting fact: The Eurasian Blue Tit is incredibly agile and will often ascend a trunk in short jerky hops, rather like a Treecreeper, and is able to hang upside down from branches.
The Eurasian Blue Tit is a brightly-colored inhabitant of wooded and forested habitats, parks, gardens, and hedges in farmland. It is often seen visiting bird feeders and using nest boxes.
Coal Tit
The Coal Tit (Periparus ater) is a small passerine bird in the tit family, Paridae. Here are some facts about the Coal Tit:
– Appearance: The Coal Tit is predominantly grey in color, with white cheeks and a white patch at the back of its head, buff underparts, and a black cap. They are small in size, measuring around 12 cm (4.7 in) in length and weighing in at 9-10 g (0.32-0.35 oz), just slightly smaller than the Blue Tit. They have a slimmer bill than some of the other tits, perfectly suited to feeding in conifer trees.
– Habitat: The Coal Tit is a widespread and common resident breeder in forests throughout the temperate to subtropical Palearctic, including North Africa. They can also be found in parks and gardens where there are conifer trees.
– Diet: The Coal Tit’s diet is made up of insects and spiders, which they actively hunt from the conifer trees they frequent, as well as seeds and nuts. They are also regular visitors to gardens and can be seen taking food from bird feeders, often carrying it away to store for later.
– Vocalizations: The Coal Tit has a high-pitched “see-see-see” call, which is often heard in coniferous woodland.
– Interesting fact: The Coal Tit is the only member of the tit family that stores food to eat later.
The Coal Tit is similar in appearance to other tit species, particularly the Willow Tit and Marsh Tit. However, the Coal Tit has a white patch at the back of its head while Willow Tits and Marsh Tits have a fully black cap.
The Coal Tit is a small bird that is often seen flitting through the trees in coniferous woodland, and is a welcome visitor to many gardens and bird feeders.
Crested Tit
The Crested Tit (Lophophanes cristatus) is a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. Here are some facts about the Crested Tit:
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– Appearance: The Crested Tit is a distinctive bird with a peaked tuft on the top of its head. It has black and white feathers on its head, brown and black feathers on its wings, and buff-colored feathers underneath. The crest is often erect and the tip is sometimes recurved.
– Habitat: The Crested Tit is a widespread and common resident breeder in coniferous forests throughout central and northern Europe, and in deciduous woodland in France and the Iberian Peninsula.
– Diet: The Crested Tit feeds on insects (including caterpillars) and seeds. They are often seen actively foraging in the upper and canopy levels of conifers during the summer, and searching for a wide range of invertebrates and pine seeds.
– Vocalizations: The Crested Tit is talkative, and birds keep up a constant “zee, zee, zee” birdsong, similar to that of the Coal Tit.
– Nesting: The Crested Tit makes a nest in a hole in rotting stumps. Like other tits, it is found in pairs and it will join winter tit flocks with other species.
– Conservation status: The Crested Tit is considered a species of “Least Concern” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
The Crested Tit is an active, agile, and restless bird that is occasionally inquisitive. It is an easy tit to recognize, for besides its erectile crest, the tip of which is often recurved, its gorget and collar are distinctive.
The Crested Tit is a charming inhabitant of coniferous and mixed woodland, forests, and pine plantations.
Willow Tit
The Willow Tit (Poecile montanus) is a passerine bird in the tit family, Paridae. Here are some facts about the Willow Tit:
– Appearance: The Willow Tit has a grey-brown and off-white plumage with a black cap and bib. It has a pale wing panel, slightly larger and messier black bib, and brighter buffy flanks. It is mid-brown above, with whiter cheeks and pale buff-grey underparts.
– Habitat: The Willow Tit is a widespread and common resident breeder throughout temperate and subarctic Europe and across the Palearctic. It is an inhabitant of coniferous and mixed forest, birch woodland, willow and alder scrub.
– Diet: The Willow Tit feeds on insects, spiders, and seeds. It is more of a conifer specialist than the closely related Marsh Tit, which explains it breeding much further north.
– Vocalizations: The Willow Tit has a differently whistled song than the Marsh Tit, which is more helpful in the western range than in the eastern. It gives various high-pitched and scolding calls, and generally has a narrower vocal range than the Marsh Tit.
– Nesting: The Willow Tit nests in a hole in a tree, like other tit species. It is resident, and most birds do not migrate.
– Conservation status: The Willow Tit is considered a species of “Least Concern” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
The Willow Tit is very similar in appearance to the Marsh Tit, and often best separated by its differently whistled song. It is an active little inhabitant of coniferous and mixed forest, birch woodland, willow and alder scrub.
The Willow Tit is a charming bird that is often seen flitting through the trees in its habitat, and is a welcome visitor to many gardens and bird feeders.
Marsh Tit
The Marsh Tit (Poecile palustris) is a small passerine bird in the tit family, Paridae. Here are some facts about the Marsh Tit:
– Appearance: The Marsh Tit is a small, mainly brown bird, with a shiny black cap, neat black bib, and pale belly. It is so similar to the Willow Tit that ornithologists didn’t realize there were two species until 1897. The Marsh Tit is slightly smaller than the Willow Tit, with a shorter bill and a more rounded head.
– Habitat: The Marsh Tit is found throughout temperate Europe and northern Asia and, despite its name, it occurs in a range of habitats including dry woodland. It is widely distributed in England and Wales, favoring mature deciduous woodland habitat with some understorey in which to forage.
– Diet: The Marsh Tit is omnivorous, feeding on caterpillars, spiders, and seeds. If Marsh Tits find a good supply of food, they may start to hoard seeds, burying and hiding them for a rainy day.
– Vocalizations: Like other tits, the Marsh Tit has a large range of call notes. The most typical is the explosive “pitchou” note, given when agitated, often leading into a trill.
– Nesting: The Marsh Tit nests in a hole in a tree, like other tit species. It is resident, and most birds do not migrate.
– Conservation status: Globally, the Marsh Tit is classified as “Least Concern,” although there is evidence of a decline in numbers. In the UK, numbers have dropped by more than 50% since the 1970s, for example.
The Marsh Tit is a charming little bird that is often seen flitting through the trees in its habitat, and is a welcome visitor to many gardens and bird feeders. It is similar in appearance to the Willow Tit, but can be distinguished by its smaller size, shorter bill, and more rounded head.
Tufted Titmouse
The Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) is a small songbird from North America, a species in the tit and chickadee family (Paridae). Here are some facts about the Tufted Titmouse:
– Appearance: The Tufted Titmouse is a little gray bird with a distinctive crest of gray feathers on its head, big black eyes, and rust-colored flanks. It has an overall gray plumage with paler underparts and orangey sides.
– Habitat: The Tufted Titmouse is common in eastern deciduous forests and a frequent visitor to feeders. It is found in a range of habitats including dry woodland, parks, and backyards.
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– Diet: The Tufted Titmouse feeds on insects, spiders, and seeds. It is a regular visitor to backyard bird feeders, especially in winter, and prefers sunflower seeds but will eat suet, peanuts, and other seeds as well.
– Vocalizations: The Tufted Titmouse has a clear, whistled “peter-peter-peter” song that is often heard before the bird is seen. It also has a large range of call notes.
– Nesting: The Tufted Titmouse nests in a hole in a tree, like other tit species. Pairs may remain together all year, joining small flocks with other titmice in winter. Flocks break up in late winter, and pairs establish nesting territories.
– Conservation status: The Tufted Titmouse is considered a species of “Least Concern” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
The Tufted Titmouse is a charming little bird that is often seen flitting through the trees in its habitat, and is a welcome visitor to many gardens and bird feeders.
It is easily recognizable by its jaunty crest of gray feathers, big black eyes, and rust-colored flanks.
Black-Capped Chickadee
The Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) is a small, non-migratory, North American songbird that lives in deciduous and mixed forests. Here are some facts about the Black-capped Chickadee:
– Appearance: The Black-capped Chickadee has a black cap and “bib” with white sides to the face. Its underparts are white with rusty brown on the flanks. Its back is gray and the tail is normally slate gray. This bird has a short dark beak, short, rounded wings, and a tarsus of 16–17 mm.
– Habitat: The Black-capped Chickadee is found throughout the northern United States and Canada, and is a common resident of deciduous and mixed forests, as well as suburban areas with trees.
– Diet: The Black-capped Chickadee feeds on insects, spiders, and seeds. It is a regular visitor to backyard bird feeders, especially in winter, and prefers sunflower seeds but will eat suet, peanuts, and other seeds as well.
– Vocalizations: The Black-capped Chickadee has a distinctive “chick-a-dee-dee-dee” call, which is often heard before the bird is seen. It also has a large range of call notes.
– Nesting: The Black-capped Chickadee nests in a hole in a tree, like other tit species. Pairs may remain together all year, joining small flocks with other titmice in winter. Flocks break up in late winter, and pairs establish nesting territories.
– Conservation status: The Black-capped Chickadee is considered a species of “Least Concern” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
The Black-capped Chickadee is a charming little bird that is often seen flitting through the trees in its habitat, and is a welcome visitor to many gardens and bird feeders.
It is easily recognizable by its black cap and bib, white cheeks, and gray back, wings, and tail.
Carolina Chickadee
The Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis) is a small passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. Here are some facts about the Carolina Chickadee:
– Appearance: The Carolina Chickadee is a small, plump bird with a short neck and large head, giving it a distinctive spherical body shape. It has a black cap and bib, white cheeks, and gray back, wings, and tail. Its tail is fairly long and narrow.
– Habitat: The Carolina Chickadee is found throughout the southeastern United States, from New Jersey to Florida and west to Texas. It is a common resident of deciduous and mixed forests, as well as suburban areas with trees.
– Diet: The Carolina Chickadee feeds on insects, spiders, and seeds. It is a regular visitor to backyard bird feeders, especially in winter, and prefers sunflower seeds but will eat suet, peanuts, and other seeds as well.
– Vocalizations: The Carolina Chickadee has a distinctive “chick-a-dee-dee-dee” call, which is often heard before the bird is seen. It also has a large range of call notes.
– Nesting: The Carolina Chickadee nests in a hole in a tree, like other tit species. Pairs may remain together all year, joining small flocks with other titmice in winter. Flocks break up in late winter, and pairs establish nesting territories.
– Conservation status: The Carolina Chickadee is considered a species of “Least Concern” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
The Carolina Chickadee is a charming little bird that is often seen flitting through the trees in its habitat, and is a welcome visitor to many gardens and bird feeders. It is easily recognizable by its black cap and bib, white cheeks, and gray back, wings, and tail.
FAQS
1. What are tit birds?
Tit birds are a group of small passerine birds that occur mainly in the Northern Hemisphere and Africa. They are also known as titmice or chickadees.
2. How many types of tit birds are there?
There are many different types of tit birds, including the Great Tit, Eurasian Blue Tit, Coal Tit, Crested Tit, Willow Tit, Marsh Tit, Tufted Titmouse, Black-Capped Chickadee, and Carolina Chickadee.
3. What do tit birds eat?
Tit birds are omnivorous and feed on insects, spiders, and seeds. Many species are regular visitors to backyard bird feeders, especially in winter.
4. Where do tit birds live?
Tit birds are found in a range of habitats, including deciduous and mixed forests, coniferous forests, parks, and suburban areas with trees. They are adaptable birds that can live around human habitation.
5. How do I attract tit birds to my backyard?
To attract tit birds to your backyard, provide a variety of food sources, including sunflower seeds, suet, peanuts, and other seeds. You can also provide nesting boxes for them to use.
6. Are tit birds endangered?
Most tit bird species are not endangered and are considered species of “Least Concern” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). However, some species, such as the Willow Tit, have experienced declines in numbers in recent years.
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Category: Birds
