Long-tailed Tits in Sweden
When the Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus) is present in Sweden, when it nests, and which native Sweden plants supply the food it depends on.
- Status in Sweden
- Resident all year
- Nesting season
- April–June
- Size
- 14 cm (half is tail), 9 g
- Nest box
- Does not use enclosed boxes
When to expect long-tailed tits in Sweden
The Long-tailed Tit lives in Sweden all year round. Long, cold winters with snow; feeders keep tits, Nuthatches and finches going for months.
Temperate in the south, boreal across most of the country and subarctic in the far north.
Nesting in Sweden
In Sweden the Long-tailed Tit usually nests April–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 Sweden plants for long-tailed tits
Of the native plants we track for Sweden, 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 Sweden all year?
Yes — the Long-tailed Tit is resident in Sweden all year.
When do long-tailed tits nest in Sweden?
Typically April–June. Clutches are 8–12 eggs, incubated for 15–16 days, with 1 per year.
Which native plants help long-tailed tits in Sweden?
Hawthorn, Ivy, Elder, Blackthorn, Honeysuckle, Bramble, Wild cherry, Crab apple are native to Sweden and provide food or cover the Long-tailed Tit uses.
Long-tailed Tits in other countries
Other garden birds in Sweden
Sources
- Long-tailed Tit — RSPB bird guide
- Long-tailed Tit — BTO BirdFacts
- Svensk fågelatlas — BirdLife Sverige
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.