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Overview
The Blue Tit is one of the best known and most common of birds in Britain. They are found from northern parts of Scotland (except the islands of Orkney and Shetland) down to Cornwall in the south west.

The Blue Tit belongs to the family of tits, of which there are about 50 species in the world. They are found in north and central America, Europe, Africa and Asia. The six species of British tit are Great, Coal, Crested, Marsh, Willow and Blue.

The Long-tailed Tit is not a true tit, but rather belongs to a closely-related small family (the Aegithalidae) characterised by their long tails and intricate nests woven from moss, lichen and cobwebs.

The Latin name for a Blue Tit is 'Parus Caeruleus'.

Blue Tits are on the RSPB 'Green' list, which means there is no identified threat to the population's status.

Habitat can be varied, and historically they were found mostly in woodlands and hedgerows where they could find nesting sites in trees. These days they have adapted and are found in parks and gardens too.

There are about 3.5 million breeding pairs in the UK, with anything up to 15 million birds to be found in Britain for the winter. They fly over the English channel from Europe as British weather is warmer in winter and there is more food.

Blue Tits are the most acrobatic bird to be found in Britain, and can fly at speeds of up to 20km per hour.

Their feathers are made up of 3 types:

1. Flight Feathers - these are stiff and long.
2. Contour Feathers - cover the body, and are smaller. These give the bird a smooth covering and help it to fly through the air.
3. Down Feathers - these are close to their skin and trap heat to keep the bird warm.

Like many other birds, Blue Tits see ultraviolet light which helps them locate berries and food. The way in which a Blue Tit sees another Blue Tit is quite different to the way human eyes see them. They see each other in a much more colourful blue, sometimes with an almost halo effect around them.

Feeding
Blue Tits eat a mixture of plant and animal food. Their diet changes throughout the year as some foods disappear, and others become available.

In summer there are lots of caterpillars, such as the Winter Moth caterpillar which are found on Oak trees. These are one of the Blue Tits' favourite foods, and they are fed to their young. They will also hunt for other insect larvae as well as adult Butterflies and Moths. Greenflies, Beetles and Spiders are also sought out under crevices.

© Getty Images

Winter Moth Caterpillar

Winter Moth

As the year moves on, there are fewer insects around. Blue Tits will switch to seeds and fruits, finding them in woodland, countryside and back garden feeders.

In winter they have been known to peck at the putty around windows. Speculation suggests that they are after the Linseed Oil, although it is more likely they are simply searching for food.

Blue Tits join up with other small birds to form flocks during the winter months, they fly from location to location searching for seeds, fruits and insects.

Predators
Being such a small bird isn't always good. The Grey Squirrel, Great Spotted Woodpecker and Magpies will try and reach into a nest to eat chicks as well as eggs. A Sparrowhawk will also prey on a Blue Tit if it gets the chance. Domestic cats will also try to reach a paw into a box.

It is estimated that British cats kill more than 55 million birds each year. Most frequently these cats will catch Sparrows, Blackbirds, Starlings, Chaffinches and Blue Tits.

Blue Tit Facts

• The body of a Blue Tit is 11 to 12cm long.
• Its wing span is 15 to 20cm.
• A Blue Tit weighs 9.5 to 12.5g (about the same as an English £1 coin).
• It has four toes, 3 face forward and 1 points backwards.
• The life span is 4 to 5 years, but can be as much as 21 years.
• Nests are generally built in a small hole in a tree, a crevice/hole in a wall, or a bird box. However, they have been known to nest in the most surprising of places at times, such as letterboxes and old pipes.
• The nest is made of materials such as grass, hair, wool and moss. Feathers are also used, and the female will sometimes use her own body feathers to line the nest.
• The female lays her eggs in April or May. She generally lays one a day until there is a clutch of about 7 to 13 eggs.
• A Blue Tit nest was once found to contain a record-breaking 24 eggs!
• Eggs are incubated only by the female and take 12 to 14 days to hatch. Incubation only starts when all the eggs have been laid. This ensures they all hatch at about the same time.
• Blue Tit eggs are about 16mm x 12mm, smooth, glossy and white with reddish-brown spots.
• During incubation the male brings the female food, while she really only leaves the nest to quickly find additional food, drink, bathe and clean her feathers.
• Chicks hatch without any feathers and their eyes are shut.
• During the feeding frenzy which can occur especially with large clutches, the parents have been known to gather food (mainly caterpillars) once every minute.
• The youngsters fledge the nest after about 16 to 22 days, when feathers have grown and eyes have opened.

Further Reading

Photographs

Eggs laid in 2005

Chicks from 2005

A fledgling from 2005

A fledgling from 2005

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