Tits · Perching birds
Marsh Tit
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Poecile palustris
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Voice
Call
Call
Song
How to recognize it
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Small tit, compact and fairly long-tailed
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Glossy black cap and nape; small black bib below the bill
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Whitish cheeks, brownish-grey back, pale underparts
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Sharp ringing call; often the cap and voice separate it best
About the species
The Marsh Tit is a small, brisk tit with a dark cap and a neat, compact look. Its plumage is plain rather than flashy, which makes the crisp black cap and small bib feel easy to remember.
It is nimble and restless, moving quickly through branches and shrubs and often hanging upside down for a moment while feeding. Its voice is sharp and ringing, and in spring the male has a surprisingly varied song, much richer than you might expect from such a modest-looking tit.
It lives in mature broadleaved woodland, damp woods, old parks, larger gardens, and places with thick undergrowth. It eats insects, spiders, seeds, and fruit, and stores food for later. In much of its range it stays year-round, though it may make short seasonal movements when food is scarce.
Where to find
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In mature broadleaf parks with old oaks and beeches — especially where shrubs fill the space under the canopy — listen for the sharp “pitch” from low branches and thickets.
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Along damp canal banks and pond edges with alders or willows, watch for quick zigzags through twigs and short drops to the ground for insects.
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In overgrown orchards, cemetery alleys, and quiet courtyards with hollow old trees, it feeds in bushes and on trunks, sometimes hanging upside down.
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In winter, a feeder near a wooded park edge can work — grabs a few seeds and flies off to stash them in bark crevices or leaf litter.
