Long Tailed Tit
Long-tailed tits are very small birds, as their name suggests they can easily be identified by their long tails. They move around in flocks and you often know when they have made an appearance at your feeders by the chattering noise they make, they are sociable birds feeding together and roosting together, packed tightly to keep warm on cold nights.
They have a prominent white line that runs from the beak and extends backwards down the neck. The wings are dark with a patch of pink towards the top; the tail presents very similar features with the pink showing mainly on its underside. The main body of a long-tailed tit is dirty white in colour with hints of pink that grow stronger as it progresses towards the back end. Juvenile long-tailed tits undergo a full moult a few weeks after fledging. This makes it hard to differentiate between adults and their young.
Long tailed tits are manily found within woodlands, hedgerows, gardens and also farmland. During the winter months they will roost together to try to reduce heat loss.
When these birds build their nests in the early Spring, it can take up to three weeks to complete, but only within a week if made at the end of the breeding season. Additional birds that help to rear the young can join a breeding pair of long-tailed tits. These may be failed breeders, perhaps related to the breeding pair.
Feeding Habits
Long-tailed tits tend to eat food that provides them with a lot of energy. They can most commonly be seen feeding on peanuts and fat balls.
