Great tit

Parus major

The great tit is a familiar small bird of Eurasian woods, gardens, and parks. Diurnal pairs breed in cavities and may join flocks outside breeding.

Key facts

Great tit (Parus major) is an omnivore animal classified as Bird · Passeriformes · Paridae.
Primary habitats are forest · urban, with a range across Palearctic.
Activity is diurnal, sociality is pair, and conservation status is LC (Least Concern).
The great tit is a familiar small bird of Eurasian woods, gardens, and parks.
It uses deciduous and mixed forest, gardens, parks, and orchards.
Typical lifespan: 8-25 years

Habitat range map

Native rangeOccasional / Transient

Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)

It uses deciduous and mixed forest, gardens, parks, and orchards. Tree holes or nest boxes and a mix of insects and seeds are important.

Wingspan is about 22-26 cm and weight about 14-22 g. Yellow underparts, a black head, white cheeks, and a black belly stripe are distinctive.

Active by day, it moves quickly through branches while foraging. Its varied calls change with social setting, alarm, and breeding behavior.

It is omnivorous, eating insects, larvae, spiders, seeds, and nuts. During breeding, adults bring many animal foods to the chicks.

Pairs nest in tree holes or nest boxes, lining them with moss, hair, and soft material. Adults make frequent feeding visits to the young.

Its status is listed as Least Concern. It adapts well to urban green spaces and readily uses nest boxes.