Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus   [Linnaeus, 1758]

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   Page updated:16-January-2013

Order: Passeriformes Family: Aegithalidae
BTO Codes: LT, LOTTI EURING No: 14370
Number in Britain: 261 thousand territories (Summer)
Conservation Status:
UK: GREEN
European: Not a species of concern
Global: (Details)
Links to: Images   Videos   Sound  
Status in UK: (A)  Resident Breeder
Subspecies: rosaceus (R), caudatus (V), europaeus (V) recorded in Britain (of 19 subsp. in the world)
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Length: 14 cm Wingspan: 18 cm Weight: M/F: 9 g    
Scientific name from: Gr.: aigithalos=a tit and L.: cauda=tail
World Distribution: Eurasia
Habitat: Woodland, woodland edge
Diet: Mostly arthropods, esp bugs and eggs, larvae of butterflies/moths

Population and Distribution

Population Trend: BirdTrends   
Regional Trends: Wales   England   English Regions
Distribution: Atlas Maps    BBS Maps
Abundance Maps: Population Density   Change in Density   Guide to Interpretation
British Population Size:
    Summer: 261 thousand territories in 2000
    First Record: Recorded in Anglo-Saxon times [Fossil evidence from Devensian (last) glaciation, 10-120,000 yr ago]
    Conservation Status: GREEN
   Previous Assessments: 2002-2007 GREEN     1996-2001 GREEN  
   Races of Concern: rosaceus AMBER (Important Population)
Habitat Occupancy (in the Breeding Season):
    Most frequent in: Deciduous Wood
    Also common in: Scrub
    And found in: Villages, Towns
Relative Frequency in Each Habitat:
European Population Size:
    Summer: 4 to 10 million pairs   (Trend in Numbers)
Population Assesment from Birds in Europe
Distribution in Europe mapped by the EBCC Atlas
Listed on the Appendices/Schedules of: Bern(III)
Survey Results: Results from BirdTrack
Results from Garden BirdWatch

Breeding and Survival

Egg Size: 14 x 11 mm Egg Weight: 0.9 g (of which 6 % is shell)
Number of Nest Records: 197
Clutch Size: 6 - 8 eggs 7.06 ± 1.93 (2 - 14) N = 1095
Incubation: 15- 18 days 16.16 ± 1.78 (13 - 18.5) N = 1095   by the: Female
Fledging: 16 - 17days 15.71 ± 0.97 (14 - 17) N = 849 as: Altricial, naked
Source:
British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Nest Record Scheme data
First Clutches Laid: 8 Apr (24 Mar - 29 Apr)
Number of Broods: 1
See trends in Breeding Productivity
Number Ringed: Annual Totals
Adult Survival: 0.443 ± 0.044       
Juvenile Survival: 0.251 (in First-Year)  
Age at First Breeding: 1 year Typical Lifespan: 2 years
Maximum Recorded Age: 8 years 8 months 5 days (set in 2004)
Read a summary of Ringing Recoveries

Biometrics

Ring Size: AA
Wing Length Adult: 60.8 ± 1.6     Range 46.0 - 71.0 mm, (N = 12498)
Juvenile: 58.3 ± 2.0     Range 45.0 - 69.0 mm, (N = 31453)
Male: 61.8 ± 1.5     Range 51.0 - 68.0 mm, (N = 961)
Female: 60.1 ± 1.6     Range 49.0 - 67.0 mm, (N = 1668)
Weight Adult: 7.79 ± 0.58 Range 5.80 - 9.80 g , (N =9928)
Juvenile: 7.9 ± 0.5 Range 5.9 - 9.8 . , (N =28239)
Male: 7.91 ± 0.50 Range 6.10 - 9.80 g , (N =730)
Female: 7.99 ± 0.68 Range 6.00 - 9.80 g , (N =1340)
Seasonal: Summer 7.94 ± 0.50 (N = 7007)   Autumn 8.09 ± 0.50 (N = 907)   Winter 7.74 ± 0.49 (N = 18452)  
Source: British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Ringing Scheme data

Other Names

Long-tailed Bushtit
Gaelic: Cailleach-bheag-an-earbaill Welsh: Titw Gynffon-hir
Danish: Halemejse Dutch: Staartmees
Finnish: Pyrstötiainen French: Mésange ŕ longe queue
German: Schwanzmeise Hungarian: Oszapó
Icelandic: Skottmeisa Irish: Meantán Earrfhada
Italian: Codibugnolo Norwegian: Stjertmeis
Polish: Raniuszek zwyczajny Portuguese: Chapim-rabilongo
Spanish: Mito Swedish: Stjärtmes

For More Information...

Books and Monographs:
   Perrins, C. 1979 British tits Collins, London [598.922 PER]
See Also:
Find scientific papers on Google Scholar or Scirus by clicking the icon
Wikipedia entry
BirdLife species page
Recent sightings and information from BirdGuides
Read State of the Nations Birds by Chris Mead