Blue tit

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A blue tit being held during a ringing session.
Blue tits are one of the most known birds in the UK. Their scientific name is Cyanistes caeruleus and they are in the bird family tits. Their population is doing well and the have green UK conservation status and they are protected under The Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981. Their feathers are a mix of blue, yellow, white and greens. They are small birds weighing 11 g and having a wingspan of 18 cm. In the UK there are 3,600,000 breeding territories and in Europe 20-44 million pairs.

A blue tit in its nest. blue-tit-nest-amy-lewis.jpg
They nest in any suitable hall in a tree or wall and often compete with other small birds such as great tits of house sparrows. They make their nests up to 15 m above the ground after both males and females have looked for an area to nest in. When the male finds an appropriate place he flutters his wings and goes into the hole calling in the hope that the female will follow. The female may reject the hole and keep on searching. As in most birds, the female builds the nest by herself out of moss and grass and other vegetation. The nest is a cup shape and is lined with feathers and hair. A blue tit clutch ranges in size from 7-13 eggs that are laid from mid to late April to the start of May .The incubation stage only begins once the clutch is fully complete and all the eggs are laid. If before this time, the female has to leave the nest for a period of tome and leave the eggs alone, she will cover them in some of the lining of the nest to keep them warm. The incubation stage lasts nearly 2 weeks and during this time the female keeps the eggs warm and the male defends the nest from other blue tits and also protected food that both adults and the young need. He supplies food for his mate and due to the fact that the chicks hatch when food sources are most abundant, he rarely runs out. Both parents feed the chicks things like caterpillars for the 2-3 weeks that they stay in the nest before they fledge.

Invertebrates and larvae are the main source of food for blue tits such as caterpillars or different insects. They also feed on some fruits and seeds but this usually occurs outside the breeding season. They are fairly solitary feeders usually but can feed in pairs or in small groups during the autumn and winter months. If you leave a bird feeder out in your garden they will consume cheese and fats and other seeds. They have also been known to take sap from tree bark and nectar from flowers. Due to their small size they are fairly vulnerable to predators such as jays, sparrow hawks and even domestic cats. They find refuge in their nests and in man-made bird boxrs that can be left in gardens.

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