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Great Tit Parus major [Linnaeus, 1758]
Other Names
Trends & Distribution
Breeding & Survival
Biometrics
Books & Links
Order:
Passeriformes
Family:
Paridae
BTO Codes:
GT, GRETI
EURING No:
14640
Number in Britain:
2 million territories (Summer)
Conservation Status:
UK:
GREEN
European:
Not a species of concern
Global:
Least Concern
Links to: Images
Videos
Sound
Status in UK:
(A) Resident Breeder, Winter Visitor
Subspecies:
netwoni major (RW) recorded in Britain (of 33 subsp. in the world)
.
Length:
14 cm
Wingspan:
24 cm
Weight:
M/F: 18 g
Scientific name from:
L.: parus =a tit
and L.: major =great
World Distribution:
Europe, Asia, nw Africa
Habitat:
Forest, woodland, towns, mangrove
Diet:
Invertebrates (esp. butterflies, beetles) and spiders, winter, seeds and fruit
TitBit:
The black stripe on the belly of a male Great Tit is an indicator of its status; larger stripes are more attractive to females
Population and Distribution
Population Trend:
Regional Trends:
Distribution:
New Atlas )
British Population Size:
Summer:
2 million territories
in 2000
First Record:
8th Century
[Fossil evidence from
Middle Pleistocene, c. 500,000 yr ago]
Conservation Status:
GREEN
Previous Assessments:
2002-2007
GREEN
1996-2001
GREEN
Races of Concern:
netwoni AMBER (Important Population) , major GREEN
Habitat Occupancy (in the Breeding Season):
Most frequent in:
Deciduous Wood
Also common in:
Villages
And found in:
Scrub, Arable Farmland, Pasture Farmland, Towns, Coniferous Wood
Relative Frequency in Each Habitat:
European Population Size:
Summer:
36 to 76 million pairs
(Trend in Numbers )
Birds in Europe
Listed on the Appendices/Schedules of:
Bern(III)
Survey Results:
Breeding and Survival
Egg Size:
18 x 14 mm
Egg Weight:
1.7 g (of which 6 % is shell)
Number of Nest Records:
2802
Clutch Size:
7 - 9 eggs
7.94 ± 1.86 (2 - 16) N = 3197
Incubation:
13- 15 days
13.85 ± 1.29 (12 - 16) N = 3197
by the:
Female
Fledging:
18 - 21days
18.06 ± 1.96 (15 - 21.5) N = 5175
as:
Altricial, downy
Source:
British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Nest Record Scheme data
First Clutches Laid:
26 Apr (10 Apr - 17 May)
Number of Broods:
1(2)
Trends in Breeding Productivity
Number Ringed:
45484
Adult Survival:
0.542
± 0.011
(M:0.583
± 0.028;
F:0.555
± 0.034)
Juvenile Survival:
0.380 (in First-Year)
Age at First Breeding:
1
year
Typical Lifespan:
3
years
Maximum Recorded Age:
13yr 11m
(Germany: 15yr 5m)
Biometrics
Ring Size:
A (pulli B)
Wing Length
Adult:
75.0 ± 3.8
Range
71 - 79 mm, N =53986
Juvenile:
74.5 ± 2.1
71 - 78 mm, N =34300
Male:
76.5 ± 4.7
73 - 79 mm, N =27388
Female:
73.5 ± 1.8
71 - 76 mm, N =26096
Weight
Adult:
18.61 ± 2.78
Range
16.60 - 20.80 g , N =42606
Juvenile:
18.56 ± 3.05
16.60 - 20.60 g , N =27373
Male:
19.12 ± 3.28
17.30 - 21.00 g , N =21527
Female:
18.09 ± 2.05 .
16.30 - 20.20 g , N =20699
Source:
British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Ringing Scheme data
Other Names
Gaelic:
Currac-baintighearna
Welsh:
Titw Mawr
Danish:
Musvit
Dutch:
Koolmees
Finnish:
Talitiainen
French:
Mésange charbonničre
German:
Kohlmeise
Hungarian:
Széncinege
Icelandic:
Flotmeisa
Irish:
Meantán Mór
Italian:
Cinciallegra
Norwegian:
Kjřttmeis
Polish:
Bogatka
Portuguese:
Chapim-real
Spanish:
Carbonero común
Swedish:
Talgoxe
For More Information...
Books and Monographs:
Perrins, C. 1979 British tits Collins, London
[598.922 PER]
Gosler, A. 1993 The great tit Hamlyn, London
[598.933 GOS]
See Also:
BirdFacts home | BTO Home birdfacts@bto.org These data should be cited as:
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