The Great Tit (Parus major) is a common and widespread passerine bird in the Paridae family of song birds. It is also known as the Great Titmouse.

The Great Tit has a distinctive black head and neck, large white cheeks, olive upperparts and yellow underparts. Its wings are green to blue-grey with white wing-bars. The tail is blue-grey with white tips.

Great Tit

The Great Tit is about 13 centimetres (5 inches) tall.

It is found throughout Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and North Africa. It is not migratory.

It is predominantly insectivorous. It will also eat berries and seeds. It lives in woodlands and forests, as well as parks and gardens.

It mates for life, and both parents choose a territory. It nests in cavities, usually in a hole in a tree. The female lines the nest with moss, feathers, and grass. The female lays around 12 eggs and incubates them alone, but both parents raise the chicks. The eggs hatch after about 12-15 days.

The chicks are altricial when born (featherless and helpless), but will soon grow its feathers.

Great Tit

Great Tit

Photographer: Martina Nicolls

Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM