Long-tailed Tits in Portugal
When the Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus) is present in Portugal, when it nests, and which native Portugal plants supply the food it depends on.
- Status in Portugal
- Resident all year
- Nesting season
- February–June
- Size
- 14 cm (half is tail), 9 g
- Nest box
- Does not use enclosed boxes
When to expect long-tailed tits in Portugal
The Long-tailed Tit lives in Portugal all year round. Mild, wet winters that attract many wintering European songbirds.
Mediterranean with strong Atlantic influence, wetter in the north.
Nesting in Portugal
In Portugal the Long-tailed Tit usually nests February–June. Nest site: domed ball of moss, lichen and cobweb in thorny shrubs. Clutches are 8–12 eggs, incubated for 15–16 days; chicks fledge after 15–17 days, and pairs raise 1 per year.
- The Long-tailed Tit does not use enclosed nest boxes — dense native shrubs and climbers give it nest sites.
- 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 Portugal plants for long-tailed tits
Of the native plants we track for Portugal, these 8 provide food the Long-tailed 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.
Early-summer cherries for Blackbirds and Jays.
Windfalls sustain thrushes and Fieldfares into winter.
Feeding in the garden
Tiny insects and spiders; some suet in winter.
- Best foods: Suet, Sunflower hearts.
- Feeders: Suet cage.
- Flocks of 10–20 roost huddled together; they rarely stay long at feeders.
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked
Are long-tailed tits in Portugal all year?
Yes — the Long-tailed Tit is resident in Portugal all year.
When do long-tailed tits nest in Portugal?
Typically February–June. Clutches are 8–12 eggs, incubated for 15–16 days, with 1 per year.
Which native plants help long-tailed tits in Portugal?
Hawthorn, Ivy, Elder, Blackthorn, Honeysuckle, Bramble, Wild cherry, Crab apple are native to Portugal and provide food or cover the Long-tailed Tit uses.
Long-tailed Tits in other countries
Other garden birds in Portugal
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.