The largest of the UK's tits, the great tit (Parus major) is found in woodland, parks, and gardens. Great tits will fight off smaller tits to feed and boasts a distinctive song that sounds like a bicycle pump! These pretty birds are green and yellow with glossy black heads and white cheeks. Male great tits have a broad black stripe on the belly, whereas females have a much thinner black stripe. The male’s stripe indicates status. The wider the stripe, the more attractive the bird is to females.
Great tits have proved to be highly adaptable birds that live happily in urban areas. They are frequent visitors to garden feeders where they can be aggressive towards other species. In winter, great tits join with blue tits and other birds to form roaming flocks that travel in search of food.
What is the great tit’s distribution and population?
Seen throughout the UK, great tits are absent only from the Northern and Western Isles of Scotland. There are approximately 2, 500, 000 breeding pairs and the species is not of conservation concern. Most great tits do not migrate except during extremely harsh winters.
What do great tits eat?
These birds favour Insects, seeds and nuts. They will take food from hanging feeders, particularly when they are filled with sunflower hearts. Great tits may also take scraps from bird tables.
Where do great tits nest?
Great tits build nests in holes that they find in trees and walls. Their nests are cups constructed from moss, grass and down. They are lined with hair, plant down, and feathers. Nest boxes are frequently used by these birds. Indeed, the great tit’s readiness to use nest boxes has made them popular birds to study. In the absence of an obvious nesting site, great tits can be very inventive and will use manmade sites including post boxes.
The female great tit lays between five and eleven eggs and she alone incubates them for 13-14 days. The male does help with feeding the young and the chicks fledge after 16-22 days.
Did you know?
Great tits have a distinctive song but there are many variations of this. A typical male will utilise up to 40 variations. This means that if you hear birdsong that you can’t identify, it is probably that of a great tit.