Great Tit
Great Tit Facts
| Size | 5-6 inches (13-15 cm) |
| Speed | 18-22 mph (30-35 km/h) |
| Weight | 0.4-0.8 ounces (12-22 grams) |
| Lifespan | About 3 years |
| Food | Larvae, spiders, caterpillars, aphids, seeds, nuts |
| Predators | Cats, sparrowhawks, pine martens |
| Distribution | Europe, Central Asia, Northwest Africa |
| Habitat | Deciduous forests, mixed forests, gardens, parks, hedges |
| Order | Passerines |
| Suborder | Songbirds |
| Family | Paridae |
| Scientific name | Parus major |
| Characteristics | Small songbird with black and yellow plumage |
Main Characteristics
The great tit is a large tit with a black head, white cheeks, and yellow plumage on its chest and belly. It is the largest and heaviest of all tits, being twice the size and weight of the blue tit. This bird has a very curious and adventurous nature. In summer, it prefers insects, while in winter, it feeds on nuts. In Germany, it is one of the most common garden birds.
Species
There are over 50 species of tits, and the great tit is the largest among them. Other species include the blue tit, marsh tit, crested tit, and willow tit.
Character
Great tits are quite bold and sometimes even peck food from people's hands. They can be quite aggressive towards smaller birds. During the breeding season, they can also be a bit rough with their own kind.
Distribution and Habitat
Great tits are found in Europe, Central Asia, and northwest Africa. They are very adaptable and thrive in a variety of habitats. In Germany, they prefer deciduous and mixed forests, gardens, parks, hedges, and orchards. They hold the 3rd position as the most common birds in Germany.
Way of Life
Great tits are active during the day. They spend most of their time in trees, bushes, and shrubs, searching for food. For resting and sleeping, they prefer to use cavities and nesting boxes. They fluff up their feathers to keep warm and then tuck their head under a wing. During the mating season, they can often be heard singing.
Anatomy and Appearance
Size and Weight
The great tit is the largest of the tit species. It has a body length of 5-6 inches (13-15 cm) and weighs 0.4-0.8 ounces (12-22 grams). Its wingspan measures 9.4 inches (24 cm). They are about the same size as a sparrow, but weigh only half as much.
Plumage
Great tits have shiny blue-black feathers on their heads. A black stripe runs down the center of their chest, from the head to the legs. Their cheeks are white, while the feathers on their chest and belly are yellow. The feathers on their back are blue-gray, and their wings are olive green, featuring a narrow white stripe.
In Urban Areas Feathers Are Often Dull
Great tits feed on insects. The more they eat, the brighter their yellow breast feathers become. This is related to the pigments found in their food. However, in urban areas, they may not always find enough insects, which can cause their colors to appear dull and "washed out".
Female or Male Great Tit – What’s the Difference?
Females have less vibrant colors. They can be easily distinguished from males by looking at their chest. In males, the black stripe is a clear, broad, continuous line. In females, it is narrower, sometimes interrupted, and does not always extend to the legs. Young birds look similar to the females.
Great Tit or Blue Tit – What’s the Difference?
The great tit and blue tit can easily be confused, especially from a distance. While the blue tit has blue feathers on its head, they can appear quite dark depending on the distance and lighting conditions. Observers who watch these birds more frequently can usually tell them apart by their size: great tits are nearly twice the size of blue tits.
Diet
Great tits are omnivores. In the summer, they prefer insects such as larvae, spiders, caterpillars, and aphids. During the winter months, they feed on seeds, nuts, berries, and fruits. They also enjoy being fed by humans.
Behavior
Not Migratory Birds
Most great tits remain in their location and only migrate south in winter as far as necessary.
Song
Great tits have a strong, loud voice. They start calling shortly after dawn. Their song is very varied and changes in speed, volume, rhythm, and pitch. Their call consists of two to four syllables and can be repeated up to ten times.
Abilities and Senses
Intelligence
Remarkable Memory
Great tits can remember not only where they found food but also exactly when it was, what type of food it was, and how they obtained it. Their memory stores these experiences so vividly that they can relive them at any time.
Solving Problems
Great tits are highly intelligent birds. They don't learn through 'trial and error'; instead, they can solve problems by observing and thinking. In an experiment, researchers placed a transparent container filled with food. It had a small opening that wasn't immediately visible. Most bird species initially pecked at the clear wall of the container before realizing that this method wouldn't yield food. However, great tits examined the container first in 80% of the cases and quickly found the opening.
Use of Tools
Great tits have been observed using thin needles from conifer trees as tools. They use these to extract larvae from small crevices and holes in the tree bark. The use of tools requires a high level of intelligence and has only been seen in a few animal species so far.
Life Expectancy
Great tits do not have a long lifespan. They typically live for about three years. However, there are exceptions. The oldest great tit on record was a banded bird that lived to be 13 years and 11 months old.
Enemies and Threats
Natural Enemies
The greatest natural enemy of the great tit is the domestic cat. Additionally, birds of prey like the sparrowhawk hunt these tits. Pine martens and magpies are known to steal their eggs.
Human Impact
Pesticides and Insecticides
In gardens and on balconies, chemicals are often used against pesky pests. While this undoubtedly helps eliminate unwanted guests, it also harms many birds, including great tits. They suffer from a lack of food. Even worse, we poison them because they consume the dead insects.
Importance for the Ecosystem
Great tits are excellent pest controllers, as they feed on the insects we dislike. Additionally, they help spread seeds that lead to the growth of new plants.
How to Attract Great Tits to the Garden?
Feeder
Great tits can easily be lured into the garden or onto the balcony, especially with food! Their favorites are sunflower seeds and peanuts. They will eat from hanging fat balls, as well as from feeding tables or even from the ground.
Birdbath
Great tits enjoy shallow birdbaths. These should be about 1 inch (2-3 cm) deep and at least 4 inches (10 cm) wide. It's important to clean them daily to prevent the spread of bacteria and viruses among the birds.
Nest Box
If you have a garden, you can also provide a safe shelter like a nest box. The entrance should be 1.1 inches (28 mm) wide to allow the great tit to enter, and it’s best to hang it five meters above the ground.
Reproduction
Breeding Season
Pairs typically form in February or March. The breeding season for great tits lasts from March to July. If they find enough food, they may even breed twice a year.
Nest
Great tits prefer to nest in small cavities in trees or rocks. They also readily accept nesting boxes, sometimes even favoring them over natural hollows. The nest is comfortably lined with grass, animal hair, moss, and feathers.
Eggs
Great tits lay 5-12 small eggs. Each egg measures about 18 mm in length and 0.5 inches (14 mm) in width. They are cream-colored with small reddish spots.
Incubation Period
The incubation period for great tits lasts between 10-17 days.
Raising Young
After hatching, the chicks are fed by both parents. Their diet mainly consists of larvae from moths and butterflies, which are rich in protein and help the chicks develop well. After about 16-22 days, they fledge and leave the nest. However, the young birds are still fed by their parents for an additional 6-10 days.
Partner Behavior
Great tits are faithful during the breeding season. Although they sleep separately, the male picks up the female from her roost every morning and returns her there in the evening. This behavior helps prevent the female from mating with another partner.
The Great Tit Is Related To:
- Black-Breasted Tit
- Blue Tit
- Coal Tit
- Marsh Tit
Animals in the Same Biome:
- Blue Tit
- Common Blackbird
- Common Chaffinch
- Eurasian Bullfinch
- Eurasian Skylark
- Eurasian Wren
- Great Spotted Woodpecker
- Insects
- Marten
- Red Squirrel
- Robin
- Snails
- Sparrowhawk
- Spiders
- Starling
- Wild Boar
- Worms
Sources:
- „Backyard birds learn from their new neighbors when moving house“ (https://www.ab.mpg.de)
- „Milk bottles revisited: Social learning and individual variation in the blue tit, Cyanistes caeruleus“ (https://ora.ox.ac.uk)
- „Urbanisation impacts plumage colouration in a songbird across Europe: Evidence from a correlational, experimental and meta-analytical approach“ (https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com)
- „Episodic-like memory in wild free-living blue tits and great tits“ (https://linkinghub.elsevier.com)
- „Long-Term Decrease in Coloration: A Consequence of Climate Change?“ (https://www.journals.uchicago.edu)
- „Larger groups of passerines are more efficient problem solvers in the wild“ (https://www.pnas.org)
