Flying balls of fluff. These tiny woodland dwellers have a strong claim to be considered the UK’s cutest bird.
Common name:
long-tailed tit
Scientific name: Aegithalos caudatus
Family: Aegithalidae (long-tailed tits)
Habitat: woodland, farmland, parks and gardens
Diet: insects and invertebrates
Predators: sparrowhawks take adults; chicks and eggs are vulnerable to a range of predators
Origin: native
Long-tailed tits are very small birds, typically less than half the weight of a robin. They have a fluffy pale-pinkish breast, dark wings, a short beak and, of course, a long tail.
Despite their name, long-tailed tits are not closely related to the tit family (Paridae), which includes the blue tit, great tit and others.
Credit: John Tomsett / WTML
Long-tailed tits mainly feed on insects and invertebrates. The eggs of moths and butterflies are commonly taken, as are caterpillars.
The birds pluck their prey from tree branches and other vegetation. Seeds may be eaten in winter when food is scarce and they will often visit bird feeders.
Long-tailed tits build a nest made from moss, lichen, feathers and spider silk. Six to eight eggs are normally laid in April and will hatch after up to three weeks. The chicks fledge after around two weeks in the nest.
Long-tailed tits huddle together at night to keep warm.
Credit: Tim Mason / Alamy Stock Photo
Long-tailed tits can be found throughout the UK, with the exception of the most mountainous parts of Scotland. The species is at home in woodland, but can also be found in farmland, parks and gardens, provided there is plenty of tree cover.
In winter, long-tailed tits often forage for food alongside other small birds.
Long-tailed tits are highly social birds and you’ll rarely see one alone. Look for flocks flitting from branch to branch, rarely staying still for more than a second.
The long tail is the easiest way to distinguish the species from other small birds. Its call is a high-pitched ‘tsurp’ sound.
Audio: Andrew Harrop / xeno-canto.org
Credit: John Bridges / WTML
The long-tailed tit population is doing well and is thought to have roughly doubled since the 1970s. However, the loss of woodland and felling of trees threatens the species’ habitat.
