Great Tits in Austria
When the Great Tit (Parus major) is present in Austria, when it nests, and which native Austria plants supply the food it depends on.
- Status in Austria
- Resident all year
- Nesting season
- April–June
- Size
- 14 cm, 18 g
- Nest box
- 28 mm hole, 2–4 m up
When to expect great tits in Austria
The Great Tit lives in Austria all year round. Cold, snowy winters, especially at altitude.
Continental and Alpine; most of the country is mountainous.
Nesting in Austria
In Austria the Great Tit usually nests April–June. Nest site: tree hole or nest box. Clutches are 5–12 eggs, incubated for 13–15 days; chicks fledge after 16–22 days, and pairs raise 1–2 per year.
- Nest box: 28 mm hole, 2–4 m up. Put boxes up by February and clean them out between September and January.
- Avoid cutting hedges during the nesting season (roughly March to August) — in the UK, disturbing an active nest is an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
Native Austria plants for great tits
Of the native plants we track for Austria, these 8 provide food the Great Tit uses:
Haws feed thrushes all winter; spring blossom supports hundreds of insect species.
Late-winter berries when little else is left, plus dense nesting cover.
Late-summer berries taken by Blackcaps and thrushes.
Thorny cover that protects nests; early blossom for insects.
Blackberries and impenetrable nesting cover.
Goldfinches extract the seeds from standing heads in autumn and winter.
Early-summer cherries for Blackbirds and Jays.
Windfalls sustain thrushes and Fieldfares into winter.
Feeding in the garden
Insects in summer; seeds and nuts in winter.
- Best foods: Sunflower hearts, Peanuts, Suet, Mealworms.
- Feeders: Tube feeder, Peanut mesh, Suet cage.
- Great Tits readily use boxes; install them by late winter when pairs prospect.
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked
Are great tits in Austria all year?
Yes — the Great Tit is resident in Austria all year.
When do great tits nest in Austria?
Typically April–June. Clutches are 5–12 eggs, incubated for 13–15 days, with 1–2 per year.
Which native plants help great tits in Austria?
Hawthorn, Ivy, Elder, Blackthorn, Bramble, Teasel, Wild cherry, Crab apple are native to Austria and provide food or cover the Great Tit uses.
What nest box does the Great Tit use?
28 mm hole, 2–4 m up.
Great Tits in other countries
Other garden birds in Austria
Sources
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.