Long-tailed tits (Aegithalidae)
Long-tailed Tit
Aegithalos caudatus
- Length
- 14 cm (half is tail)
- Weight
- 9 g
- Clutch
- 8–12 eggs
- Incubation
- 15–16 days
- Fledging
- 15–17 days
- Broods
- 1 per year
- Nest box
- Does not use enclosed boxes
Identification
- Tiny pink, black and white ball with a very long tail
- Stubby bill
- Northern birds have a pure white head
Thin 'tsee-tsee-tsee' and rattling 'tsirrup' contact calls.
Diet and garden feeding
Tiny insects and spiders; some suet in winter.
- Best foods: Suet, Sunflower hearts.
- Flocks of 10–20 roost huddled together; they rarely stay long at feeders.
Nesting
Domed ball of moss, lichen and cobweb in thorny shrubs.
Long-tailed Tits by country
England
Resident all year · nests March–June
Scotland
Resident all year · nests April–June
Wales
Resident all year · nests March–June
Northern Ireland
Resident all year · nests March–June
Ireland
Resident all year · nests March–June
Netherlands
Resident all year · nests March–June
Belgium
Resident all year · nests March–June
Germany
Resident all year · nests March–June
France
Resident all year · nests March–June
Denmark
Resident all year · nests March–June
Sweden
Resident all year · nests April–June
Norway
Resident all year · nests April–June
Finland
Resident all year · nests April–June
Spain
Resident all year · nests February–June
Portugal
Resident all year · nests February–June
Italy
Resident all year · nests February–June
Austria
Resident all year · nests March–June
Switzerland
Resident all year · nests March–June
Poland
Resident all year · nests March–June
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.