Crested Tit - Scotland Day 3

The N.I.O.C. group were all excited on day 3 of our Scotland trip as we were headed to Loch Garten in the hope that we should see the Crested Tit and sure enough we did.

The European Crested Tit, (Lophophanes cristatus), is a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. It is a widespread and common resident breeder in coniferous forests throughout central and northern Europe and in deciduous woodland in France and the Iberian peninsula. 

In Great Britain, it is chiefly restricted to the Caledonian pine forests and Scots pine plantations. of Inverness and Strathspey in Scotland, and seldom strays far from its haunts.

It is an easy tit to recognise, for besides its erectile crest, the tip of which is often recurved, its gorget and collar are distinctive. It is, like other tits, talkative, and birds keep up a constant zee, zee, zee.

Length: 12 cm    Wingspan: 18 cm       Weight: M/F: 12 g  

Typical food items, this will vary depending on availability; may also take other items occasionally Diet: Mostly insects, spiders, winter, also plant material esp. conifer seeds, will cache food.

Nesting

The nest is built by the female in a hole excavated in rotten wood, for example: stump of a tree, or partly dead tree. The nest cup is made from moss and lichen, lined with hair, wool and spiders' webs.

Nest boxes filled with sawdust and wood shavings are sometimes used.

Breeding

Egg Size: 16 x 13 mm  Egg Weight: 1.3 g (of which 6 % is shell).    

Clutch Size: 5 - 6 eggs.

The smooth, glossy eggs are white with purplish-red speckles and blotches.

 Incubation: 13- 16 days by the female

 Fledgling: 20 - 25 days          

After fledgling, they become independent after another 3 weeks.

After the breeding season, Crested Tits often form social groups, sometimes with other species such as Coal Tits and Goldcrests.

Age at First Breeding: 1 year Life expectancy of a bird reaching breeding age.

Typical Lifespan: 2 years.

Maximum Recorded Age: 7 years 11 months 20 days (set in 1997)  

BTO Ringing Data.

Conservation Status: AMBER

I hope you enjoyed seeing this little bird as much as I did.

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