Tits · Perching birds
Eurasian Blue Tit
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Cyanistes caeruleus
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Voice
Song
Tanguy Loïs
Alarm
Benoît Van Hecke
Call
Benoît Van Hecke
How to recognize it
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Jackdaw-sized, stouter and more colorful
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Blue crown with a dark line through the eye
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Yellow belly with a dark line down the abdomen
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Loud chattering call "tee-tee" and bell-like twitters
About the species
The Eurasian Blue Tit is quick to notice in a park or garden, moving from branch to branch and often hanging upside down while it searches for food. It keeps busy in the treetops, darting along thin twigs and working through foliage with short, jerky hops.
Its call can sound like a bright "tee, tee, tee" or a sharper "churr". In late winter and spring it sings more often, and pairs may call back and forth while settling into territory. It also makes alarm notes when disturbed.
Look for it in deciduous and mixed woods, older parks, gardens, and even town centers. It feeds mostly on insects and spiders, then adds seeds and other plant food outside the breeding season. In much of its range it stays year-round, while farther north some move south in winter.
Where to find
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In mature deciduous parks with old oaks and birches, the Eurasian Blue Tit gives itself away by quick hops along thin branches and a sharp “tee, tee, tee” from the canopy.
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At tree holes and nest boxes with a narrow entrance — watch for a small head peeking out and fierce hissing from inside.
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Along canal banks, pond edges, and willow thickets by river floodplains — in winter it works through the dry stems for hidden insects.
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At feeders in quiet courtyards and gardens — it hangs upside down on sunflower seeds, then carries one off to a nearby branch.
You might also see
Sources
- eBird — Cyanistes caeruleus Sightings map and full description on eBird
- Wikipedia — Eurasian blue tit Encyclopedia article