The tit is the most recognizable bird from the order of passeriformes. This cheerful, mobile, playful animal is known to both adults and kids. It has a wide distribution area on the planet, is divided into many species. All varieties of these birds are largely similar to each other in appearance, habits, lifestyle.
Origin of the species and description
Photo: Tit
Titmouses are included in a fairly large family of titmouse. They are the largest representatives of the passerine order. The body length of a tit can reach fifteen centimeters. Previously, titmouse was called “tit”. The birds were so named because of the characteristic song of the animal, which sounds like “zin-zin”. Only a little later, the birds acquired their modern name, which comes from the characteristic shades of plumage. The name “tit” among many peoples of Slavic origin sounds almost the same.
These small, active birds have been highly valued at almost all times. So, there is a decree of King Louis of Bavaria, issued in the fourteenth century, which spells out a strict ban on the destruction of tits. These birds were considered very useful, it was impossible to hunt them. The decree has survived to this day.
Today, the genus of tits includes four main species, which are divided into a large number of subspecies:
- gray tit. Its main external difference is the unusual color of the belly – gray or white. The natural habitat of this bird is the entire territory of Asia;
- highway. This is the largest feathered of the genus. Such birds have a very bright, cheerful color: yellow belly, black “tie”, bluish-gray or green plumage. Bolshaki are very common. They are found throughout Eurasia;
- green-backed. Such birds are distinguished by the olive color of the tail, wings, dull plumage of the abdomen;
- eastern. In appearance, the animal looks the same as a gray tit. It has a gray belly, but lives in Sakhalin, Japan, in many countries of the Far East. Found in large numbers on the Kuril Islands.
Appearance and Features
Photo: Tit bird
Lively, relatively small bird easily recognizable. Most birds of this genus have a bright lemon belly, in the middle of which there is a longitudinal black stripe. Some species have a gray, white plumage of the abdomen. The head has black plumage, white cheeks, olive back and wings. Tits are slightly larger than medium-sized sparrows. And the main difference from sparrows is a long tail. The body has a length of about twenty centimeters, the tail can reach seven centimeters. The mass of a bird is usually about sixteen grams.
Video: Tit
Birds of this species have large heads, but small round eyes. The iris of the eye is usually colored in a dark shade. Only in some varieties it is whitish or reddish. The head of the birds is decorated with a bright “hat”. Some species have a small crest. It is formed from elongated feathers that grow from the top of the head.
Despite their relatively small size compared to other birds, titmouse are the real “orderlies” of the forest. They destroy a huge number of harmful insects.
The beak is rounded on top, flattened on the sides. Outwardly, the beak looks like a cone. The nostrils are covered with feathers. They are bristly, almost invisible. The throat, part of the chest are painted black. However, they are pleasantly cast with a slightly bluish tint. The back is most often olive. Such an unusual, bright color makes little titmouse very beautiful. They look especially colorful against the background of white snow.
Tits have small but rather strong paws. The claws on the fingers are curved. Such paws, claws help the animal to better stay on the branches. The tail consists of twelve tail feathers, the wings, rounded at the end, are of short length. These birds are distinguished by their pulsating flight. They flap their wings several times, then fly by momentum. This is how animals save their energy.
Where does the tit live?
Photo: Titmouse animal
Titmouse can be found almost anywhere on our Earth.
The natural habitat includes the following regions, countries:
- Asia, Europe, Africa, America;
- Taiwan, Sunda, Philippine Islands;
- Ukraine , Poland, Moldova, Belarus, Russia.
Most of the population of tits lives in Asia. About eleven species live in Russia and Ukraine. Do not meet these birds only in Central and South America, the Caribbean, Madagascar, Antarctica, Australia, New Guinea.
Representatives of this genus of birds prefer to live in open areas. They settle, build their nests near glades, on the edge of the forest. They do not impose requirements on the type of forest. However, more often they can be found in mixed, deciduous forests. The habitat largely depends on the type of tits. Birds inhabiting Europe prefer to live in oak forests. Siberian titmouse are located closer to humans, somewhere on the outskirts of the taiga. In Mongolia, tits live in a semi-desert landscape.
These animals do not choose dark forests for building nests. They prefer to fly in the forest-steppe zones, where there are reservoirs, rivers, lakes not so far away. Also, often representatives of the family can be found in the mountains. Their largest population is in the Alps, in the Atlas Mountains. Animals do not rise above one thousand nine hundred and fifty meters above sea level.
Tits are non-migratory birds. This is due to their resistance to cold. They lead a nomadic lifestyle. With cold weather, these animals simply move closer to people, because then they have more chances to find food for themselves.
What does the tit eat?
Photo: Bird in flight
Tits are insectivorous animals. Despite their relatively small size, these birds effectively clean forests, gardens, parks, orchards from a huge number of harmful insects. However, the diet of such birds also depends on the season. In winter, titmouses have to eat plant foods in most cases.
There are no insects in winter, so birds have to roam closer to human dwellings. In winter, their diet consists of sunflower seeds, oats, white bread, livestock feed. The favorite delicacy of birds is lard. They only eat it raw. To get food, birds sometimes even have to visit garbage dumps.
The following insects are included in the diet of these birds in the spring, summer and autumn periods:
- dragonflies, cockroaches, bugs;
- cicadas, borers, ground beetles;
- barbels, sawflies, weevils, Maybugs, leaf beetles;
- wasps and bees;
- ants, cabbage bugs , silkworms, flies, horseflies;
- needles, flowers, rosehip seeds, various berries.
Tits are considered to be exclusively insectivorous animals. However, this is not quite true. Some species of birds deftly hunt, catch and eat small bats. Especially these mice are defenseless in the short period after hibernation.
A very interesting feature is the hunting of these birds for invertebrate insects that hide under the bark. Bluebirds hang upside down on branches, which allows them to reach their prey faster. In one day, a small titmouse is able to consume about six hundred insects. The total weight of prey per day can be equal to the own weight of a tit.
Character and lifestyle features
Photo: Tit in Russia
Representatives of the tit family are very active animals. They are constantly on the move. They lead a social lifestyle, huddling in large flocks. One such flock can number about fifty individuals. Moreover, such flocks may also include birds of other species. For example, crawl. Birds break into pairs only during the mating season. At this time, the animals divide the food territory among themselves. For one pair, about fifty meters are allocated.
Flying is not the strongest side of titmouse. They are not hardy. However, this does not interfere with the life of the birds. In most cases, the route of the animal consists of several trees, yards. Titmouse moves from one fence to another, from tree to tree. During the flight, the animal manages to profit by catching flying insects.
Tits are not migratory, but in most cases nomadic birds. With the onset of frost, they move closer to the dwellings of people. However, sometimes the migration is quite significant. Cases were recorded when individuals ringed in Moscow were found on the territory of Europe. During daylight hours, titmouse look for food not only on trees, feeders. Often they visit people's houses, flying onto balconies and loggias.
The character of the titmouse is very cheerful, calm, perky. They rarely enter into ups and downs with other birds and animals. Sinichek is not embarrassed by the company of people. You can even hand feed them. These animals can show aggression only during the feeding of their offspring. They are quite evil and easily get into skirmishes with competitors, driving them out of their territory.
Social Structure and Reproduction
Photo: Tit Birds
The nesting period for titmouse falls in early spring. In most areas of the natural range, it is quite cold in early spring, so the birds insulate their nests so that future chicks do not freeze in them. They build a nest of tits in pairs, then together they are engaged in raising offspring. Animals build nests in a sparse forest, in gardens, in parks. A large number of nests are found on the banks of rivers. Birds place their dwelling at a height of two meters from the ground. Often they occupy houses abandoned by other species of birds.
During the mating season, titmouse turn into aggressive creatures. They deftly drive away strangers from their territory, protecting the nest. Animals build a nest from various twigs, grass, moss, and roots. Inside the house is lined with wool, cobwebs, cotton wool. The female can lay up to fifteen eggs at a time. They are white and slightly shiny. The surface of the eggs is covered with small spots that have a brown color. The bird lays eggs twice a year.
The eggs mature in thirteen days. The female is incubating the eggs. The male at this time produces food for his pair. After hatching, the female does not immediately leave the chicks. During the first days, the chicks are covered with only a small amount of down. The mother is engaged in heating her cubs. The male at this time begins to get food for the whole family.
Only born titmouse are extremely voracious, like adult birds. Their parents have to feed them about forty times an hour.
Chicks become independent only seventeen days after birth. However, they do not immediately leave their parents. For about nine days, young titmouse try to stay close. Ten months after birth, the young reach puberty.
The natural enemies of the tits
Photo: Tit in Moscow
Tits are mobile, fast birds. They do not often become victims of animals, birds and people. Catching a bird is not easy. However, the titmouse is a tasty prey for many birds of prey. They are attacked by owls, owls, barn owls, kites, eagles, golden eagles. Woodpeckers can also be called an enemy. Woodpeckers are destroying nests.
Spoilage, destruction of nests are also involved in squirrels, birds, ants, and ants. Often titmouse die from fleas. Flea colonies can settle in the nest. Then young chicks can die from their exposure. Active hunting for small birds is carried out by martens, ferrets and weasels. These animals deftly catch titmouse, despite their mobility. Most often, this occurs when the bird is gathering material to build its nest or is distracted by eating food. If the tit does not die from the paws of predators, then it will be able to live in the forest for about three years. In captivity, life expectancy can be more than ten years.
As you can see, tits do not have many natural enemies. However, there are other factors that lead these birds to death. 90% is hunger. A very large number of birds die in the winter, when there is no way to get insects, plant food for food. Frosts are not terrible for titmouse if the bird is well-fed. For this reason, it is very important to make and fill animal feeders on time.
Population and species status
Photo: Titmouse on a tree
Most subspecies of the genus of tits are quite numerous. For this reason, the species does not need protective measures. The tit population is relatively stable. Only in winter there is a sharp decline in the number of birds. It is mostly related to hunger. Birds die for lack of food. To maintain the number of titmouse, people need to hang feeders on trees more often and replenish them with seeds, oats, bread, raw bacon.
But there are also factors that positively affected the population of the species. So, the number of tits has increased significantly due to the formation of cities, the development of human economic activity. If deforestation negatively affects the populations of other animals, then for tits it has contributed to the emergence of new nesting sites. People also help maintain the population. Birds often steal livestock feed, in winter they eat from special feeders. Farmers, gardeners, and rural residents are especially interested in maintaining a high population of titmouse. It is these birds that make it possible to clear agricultural land from most pests.
The conservation status of representatives of the tit family is “of least concern”. The risk of extinction of these birds is very low. This is the merit of the natural fertility of the animal. Females lay up to fifteen eggs twice a year. This allows you to quickly restore the number of flocks after a difficult winter.
Little titmouses are quick-witted, cheerful and agile birds. They constantly move from one point to another in search of insects. By this they bring great benefits to man, destroying pests. Also tits sing great! Their repertoire includes more than forty different sounds that are used at different times of the year. They make very nice songs.
