About the Long-tailed Tit
The long-tailed tit or long-tailed bushtit is a common bird species belonging to the bushtit family found throughout Eurasia. An insectivore, it inhabits deciduous and mixed woodlands as well as scrub, heathland, farmland, parks and gardens. The plumage of this small long-tailed bird is predominantly black and white with varying amounts of pink and grey. Northern subspecies are paler and have completely white heads, lacking the large dark eyebrows of southern populations. It is a social bird that forms compact family flocks of six to seventeen individuals outside of the breeding season, when these flocks break up. It has a strong preference for nesting in scrub areas and often builds its…
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ID tip
This species has been described as a tiny (at only 13–15 cm (5–6 in) in length, including its 7–9 cm (3–3+1⁄2 in) tail), round-bodied tit-like bird with a short, stubby bill and a very long, narrow tail. The sexes look the same and young birds undergo a complete moult to adult plumage before the first winter. The plumage is mainly black and white, with variable amounts of grey and pink. Voice: This species is often identified in the field through hearing its distinctive vocalisations. When they are in flocks, they issue constant contact calls, so they are often heard before they are seen. They have three main calls, a single high pitched pit, a 'triple trill' eez-eez-eez, and a rattling schnuur.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
What the Long-tailed Tit sounds like
Where the Long-tailed Tit lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Syria.
When to see the Long-tailed Tit
Peak activity in October · a resident species across most of its range
Easily confused with
Black-throated BushtitAegithalos concinnusThe black-throated bushtit is a small passerine, around 10.5 cm (4.1 in) long and weighing 4–9 g (0.14–0.32 oz).
Silver-throated BushtitAegithalos glaucogularisThe silver-throated bushtit or silver-throated tit is a species of passerine bird in the family Aegithalidae, widespread throughout the temperate forests of Central, East and parts of North and Western China.
Black-browed BushtitAegithalos iouschistosIt is a small, long-tailed bird, 11–12 centimetres (4.3–4.7 in) long.
Side by side: American Bushtit vs Long-tailed Tit
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