Long-tailed Tit

The Long-tailed Tit is an unmistakable, distinctive small bird with a tiny round body, a stubby dark bill, and a strikingly long tail that can make up more than half its total length. Plumage is soft black, white, and pale pink, with variation between subspecies in the extent of pink on the flanks and the darkness of the head markings.

Highly social throughout the year, Long-tailed Tits move through woodland and hedgerows in tight, chattering family flocks, keeping in constant contact with soft calls as they forage together.

Key field marks

• Tiny round body with an extremely long, narrow tail
• Black, white, and soft pink plumage
• Stubby black bill
• Almost always seen in small, active, noisy flocks

Similar species

• No other common European songbird shares this combination of a tiny round body and such a long tail; unmistakable once seen well.

Habitat

Found in woodland edges, hedgerows, scrub, and gardens with dense shrubby cover.

Range

Widespread across Europe and temperate Asia.

Migration

Mostly resident, though flocks may wander locally outside the breeding season in search of food.

Behavior

Travels in tight family flocks of up to 20 or more birds, moving together through trees and shrubs while constantly calling to stay in contact; roosts huddled together in a line for warmth in cold weather.

Voice

A distinctive high, thin, trilling "tsirrrp" and a sharp "tupp" contact call, kept up almost continuously by flock members.

Feeding

Gleans small insects and spiders from twigs and foliage, supplementing with seeds in colder months.

Nesting

Builds an elaborate, domed, elastic nest of moss, lichen, spider silk, and feathers, often camouflaged in a gorse bush or tree fork; lays 6-12 tiny white eggs with fine reddish speckling.