Long-tailed tits · Perching birds
Long-tailed Tit
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Aegithalos caudatus
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Voice
Call
Noé Ferrari
Call
Sonothèque ADVL
Call
Sonothèque ADVL
How to recognize it
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Tiny, round-bodied, with a very long narrow tail
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Black-and-white plumage, with some grey and pink
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Usually in compact flocks of 6–17, often heard first
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Calls: high-pitched pit, triple trill eez-eez-eez, rattling schnuur
About the species
The long-tailed tit looks light and almost round, with an unusually long, narrow tail. Its plumage is soft and fluffy, so at a distance it can seem like a tiny ball with a tail attached.
It moves in lively family flocks, and you often hear it before you spot it. Its calls are thin and sharp, and they become faster and louder when the flock crosses open ground.
It uses deciduous and mixed woods, scrub, parks, and gardens. It feeds on small insects year-round and takes some seeds in autumn and winter; for nesting, it strongly favors thorny bushes, usually low down.
Where to find
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In mature parks and old tree alleys with a thick shrub layer, the Long-tailed Tit often gives itself away by high, thin contact calls from the canopy.
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Along canal banks, pond edges, and weedy river margins, look for a compact flock flicking through willows and reeds just above the water.
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In thorny shrubs beside paths, vacant lots, and overgrown corners, it nests low and then zips out to pick insects from the twig tips.
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In autumn and winter on edges with scattered trees, it moves in tight, restless family groups—tiny black-and-white shapes hopping from bush to bush.
You might also see
Sources
- eBird — Aegithalos caudatus Sightings map and full description on eBird
- Wikipedia — Long-tailed tit Encyclopedia article