Long Tailed Tit

Description

The long tailed tit found its’ way in to the top ten birds spotted in British gardens this year (2009), a good sign that it is coping well, and finding suitable habitat and food in our gardens. It is easily recognisable with its distinctive colouring, It is black and brown above and whitish below, with reddish flanks. It has a white crown and a tail that is bigger than its body, They are the only bird to have such a combination of tiny bill, round body, and a long stick-like tail. They are only 13–15 cm in length including its very long tail, which makes up 7–9 cm of the total.

Found across the UK except for the far north and west of Scotland. Long tailed Tits can be seen in woodland, farmland hedgerows, scrubland, parkland and gardens. They usually reside in groups of about 20 to 30, and can be rather noisy. In winter they form flocks with other tit species. They feed on tiny insects, spiders, and their eggs, including lava of any kind. Mainly feeding in the tree canopy, or top of shrubs, rarely on the ground. Long tilaed tits can be attracted to your garden by hanging bird feeders containing peanuts and mixed bird seed (our Autumn conditioner is excellent for Long tialed Tits). They also love suet pellets and suet balls, for an extra energy boost.

During the breeding season (late February to July), Long-tailed Tits form monogamous pairs, and raise a single brood of six to eight eggs in a woven closed nest, often concealed within a tree or shrub. The nest is held together with spider webs, camouflaged with lichen and lined with feathers.