The great tit is a large tit and a bright colourful bird. A frequent garden visitor distinguished from other tits by its bold black stripe down its breast.
What does a great tit look like?
Length: 14cm.
The head and throat are black with bluish highlights, white cheeks and yellow under parts with a broad black bib down the middle. They have yellowish backs with olive-green on the nape and grey on the rump. Their flight feathers are black. It has a black bill and greyish-blue legs. Both sexes are alike, as is their summer and winter plumage. Where the adults have white parts the youngsters will have yellowish bits.
Great tit call and song - What does a great tit sound like?
These birds have a very extensive vocabulary and can imitate a wide range of species. Constant calls can also be heard including a loud resonant ‘teecha-teecha-teecha’ as well as a ringing ‘zinc-zinc’.
Where and when do great tits nest?
Breeding starts from late March. The female builds a cup-shaped nest of roots, moss and grasses lined with hair, plant down and sometimes feathers. They nest in a hole in trees, rocks or walls, they may also use nest boxes.
They lay eight to thirteen white, with purplish-red speckles and blotches, eggs. The female alone incubates for about thirteen days. Both tend the young.
Great tit habitat
Great Tit’s like woodland, orchards, gardens and parks. They like areas with scattered trees.
How long do great tits live for?
Great tits in Britain typically have an average lifespan of 2-3 years in the wild. However, under favorable conditions, they can live significantly longer. The oldest recorded great tit in the wild reached 13 years and 11 months.
What do great tits eat in the wild?
Insects, larvae, mollusc’s and earthworms. Also likes berries and seeds.
What to feed great tits in the garden?
Where should you feed great tits?
Feeders – Ideally above 1m in height
Table – Open topped or covered
Ground – Not suitable
How to attract great tits to your garden
To attract great tits to your garden, provide their favorite foods such as sunflower hearts, peanuts, suet cakes, or mealworms in bird feeders, and plant native shrubs or trees like hawthorn to encourage natural insect food sources. Install a nest box with a 28 mm entrance hole placed 2-4 meters above the ground in a sheltered spot, and clean it annually to make it inviting for nesting. Additionally, provide a shallow birdbath or dish of fresh water, keeping it clean and free from ice during winter, and with patience, great tits are likely to become regular visitors to your garden.
