Tits · Perching birds
Crested Tit
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Lophophanes cristatus
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Voice
Song
Sonothèque ADVL
Song
Sonothèque ADVL
Song
Alexander Kurthy
How to recognize it
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Small, blue tit-sized; very active
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Erectile black-and-white crest, often raised
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Pale cheeks; large black throat patch with a narrow collar
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Fast, undulating flight; call a thin repeated “zee, zee, zee”
About the species
The Crested Tit is easy to remember for its upright crest and lively, restless movements. It looks compact and alert, and it rarely sits still for long.
Its voice is slight rather than loud, with short calls and a fine, twittering song. It often feeds low in trees, working along twigs, bark, and needles, and in winter may join mixed flocks.
It belongs to older conifer woods, and in some areas also to light broadleaf woodland with large trees and dead wood. It eats insects, larvae, and spiders, then switches to seeds and berries in autumn and winter, and in many places stays all year.
You might also see
Sources
- eBird — Lophophanes cristatus Sightings map and full description on eBird
- Wikipedia — Crested tit Encyclopedia article