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Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus [Linnaeus, 1758]
Other Names
Trends & Distribution
Breeding & Survival
Biometrics
Books & Links
Order:
Passeriformes
Family:
Paridae
BTO Codes:
BT , BLUTI
EURING No:
14620
Number in Britain:
3.3 million territories (Summer)
Conservation Status:
UK:
GREEN
European:
Not a species of concern
Global:
Least Concern
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IBC
Status in UK:
(A) Resident Breeder, Winter Visitor
Subspecies:
obscurus (R), caeruleus (W) recorded in Britain (of 15 subsp. in the world)
.
Length:
12 cm
Wingspan:
18 cm
Weight:
M/F: 11 g
Scientific name from:
L.: cyaneus =dark-blue (from Gr.:kuanos )
and L.: caeruleus =blue
World Distribution:
Europe, Near East, nw Africa
Habitat:
Woodland, scrub, towns
Diet:
Insect and spiders, also fruit and seeds in winter
TitBit:
Like all birds, Blue Tits can see ultra-violet light - the front of their heads glows brightly under UV light; this is how females are thought to choose their partners
Population and Distribution
Population Trend:
Regional Trends:
Distribution:
New Atlas )
British Population Size:
Summer:
3.3 million territories
in 2000
First Record:
8th Century
Habitat Occupancy (in the Breeding Season):
Most frequent in:
Deciduous Wood
Also common in:
Pasture Farmland, Villages, Towns
And found in:
Scrub, Arable Farmland
Relative Frequency in Each Habitat:
European Population Size:
Summer:
19 to 42 million pairs
(Trend in Numbers )
Birds in Europe
Listed on the Appendices/Schedules of:
Bern(III)
Survey Results:
Breeding and Survival
Egg Size:
16 x 12 mm
Egg Weight:
1.1 g (of which 6 % is shell)
Number of Nest Records:
4000
Clutch Size:
8 - 10 eggs
9.06 ± 2.14 (2 - 16) N = 2875
Incubation:
13 - 15 days
13.88 ± 1.31 (12 - 16) N = 2875
by the:
Female
Fledging:
18 - 21 days
19.28 ± 2.16 (15 - 23) N = 4391
as:
Altricial, downy
Source:
British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Nest Record Scheme data
First Clutches Laid:
26 Apr (12 Apr - 11 May)
Number of Broods:
1(2)
Trends in Breeding Productivity
Number Ringed:
81056
Adult Survival:
0.532
Juvenile Survival:
0.379 (in First-Year)
Age at First Breeding:
1
year
Typical Lifespan:
3
years
Maximum Recorded Age:
9yr9m
Biometrics
Ring Size:
A
Wing Length
Adult:
63.3 ± 2.8
Range
60 - 67 mm, N =102856
Juvenile:
62.9 ± 1.9
60 - 66 mm, N =86391
Male:
65.3 ± 1.5
63 - 68 mm, N =23092
Female:
61.9 ± 1.4
60 - 64 mm, N =29571
Weight
Adult:
10.88 ± 0.78
Range
9.70 - 12.20 g , N =77569
Juvenile:
10.80 ± 0.96
9.60 - 12.00 g , N =64622
Male:
11.20 ± 0.73
10.10 - 12.40 g , N =16854
Female:
10.64 ± 0.78 .
9.50 - 12.00 g , N =21702
Source:
British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Ringing Scheme data
Other Names
Previously Parus caeruleus
Gaelic:
Cailleachag-ghorm
Welsh:
Titw Tomos Las
Danish:
Blĺmejse
Dutch:
Pimpelmees
Finnish:
Sinitiainen
French:
Mésange bleue
German:
Blaumeise
Hungarian:
Kék cinege
Icelandic:
Blámeisa
Irish:
Meantán Gorm
Italian:
Cinciarella
Norwegian:
Blĺmeis
Polish:
Modraszka
Portuguese:
Chapim-azul
Spanish:
Herrerillo común
Swedish:
Blĺmes
Local Names: Tom Tit
For More Information...
Books and Monographs:
Perrins, C. 1979 British tits Collins, London
[598.922 PER]
Flegg, J. 1987 The Blue Tit Shire Publications, Princes Risborough
[Jour: S]
See Also:
BirdFacts home | BTO Home birdfacts@bto.org These data should be cited as:
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