Great Tits in Belgium
When the Great Tit (Parus major) is present in Belgium, when it nests, and which native Belgium plants supply the food it depends on.
- Status in Belgium
- 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 Belgium
The Great Tit lives in Belgium all year round. Mild lowland winters; the Ardennes get regular snow.
Temperate maritime near the coast, cooler and wetter in the Ardennes.
Nesting in Belgium
In Belgium 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 Belgium plants for great tits
Of the native plants we track for Belgium, 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.
Berries and nest sites in its tangles; moths for insect-eaters.
Blackberries and impenetrable nesting cover.
Goldfinches extract the seeds from standing heads in autumn and winter.
Seed heads for Goldfinches and a nectar source for insects.
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 Belgium all year?
Yes — the Great Tit is resident in Belgium all year.
When do great tits nest in Belgium?
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 Belgium?
Hawthorn, Ivy, Elder, Blackthorn, Honeysuckle, Bramble, Teasel, Common knapweed are native to Belgium 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 Belgium
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.