🐦

Long-tailed Tit

Aegithalos caudatus

Not yet photographed by the community

Tiny fluffy bird with an exceptionally long tail.

Species Profile

Green List (Least Concern in the UK)

Lifespan: 2–3 years in the wild, occasionally up to 10 years
Size & Weight: 12–15 cm long including tail, wingspan 16–18 cm; 7–9 g
Habitat: Deciduous and mixed woodland, scrubland, hedgerows, and gardens with dense shrubs and trees.
UK Distribution: Found throughout England, Wales, and southern Scotland; largely resident year-round, with some northern populations moving south in winter.
Diet: Primarily small insects, spiders, and their eggs; supplemented with seeds and buds in winter, especially from alder and birch.
Prey: Small insects, spiders, insect eggs, and pupae
Predators: Sparrowhawks, other raptors, and corvids such as jays and magpies.
Mating Season: February to July
Breeding: Clutch of 8–12 eggs; incubation period 12–14 days; typically one brood per year, occasionally two in good conditions. Fledging occurs at 14–18 days.
Behaviour: Highly social and acrobatic, often seen in small flocks moving through vegetation with characteristic bouncing flight. They roost communally in winter, huddling together for warmth. Long-tailed Tits are known for their distinctive thin, high-pitched calls.

Did You Know?

•The Long-tailed Tit's tail comprises nearly half its total body length, making it one of Britain's most distinctive small birds.
•In severe winters, flock sizes can increase to 20–30 individuals for greater survival through shared body heat.
•They build intricately woven, pouch-shaped nests from spiderweb, lichen, feathers, and plant down—remarkably stretchy to accommodate growing chicks.
•Long-tailed Tits will adopt and help feed chicks of other pairs, a rare cooperative breeding behaviour among British songbirds.
•Hard winters can cause population crashes, with numbers sometimes taking several years to recover.

🐦

No photos yet

Be the first to photograph a Long-tailed Tit and share it with the community.