Marsh Tit.

The Marsh Tit is a small bird that belongs to the tit family that is the Paridae family. It is a passerine bird and it is related closely to the other types of tits called as the Pere David’s, Songar and the Willow tits. The Marsh Tit is usually confused with the Willow Tit because of its close resemblance and this is seen especially in the United Kingdom. The Marsh Tit has been classified as a bird that is of “Least Concern”. However, it has been observed that there has been a decrease in the Marsh Tit population by almost 50 percent since the 1970s.

The Marsh Tit is distributed throughout the temperate regions of Europe and also seen in the Northern parts of Asia. Although the name of the bird suggests that it is a type of bird that is usually seen in the marshes, the Marsh Tit also occurs in dry areas like dry woodlands and also other types of habitats.

The Marsh Tit is a very small bird that is about 11.5 to 12 centimetres long, having a wingspan of about 19 centimetres and weighing a mere 12 grams in weight. The Marsh Tits have a black coloured crown and nape, having a bluish coloured sheen that is visible on closer inspection. The cheeks of the bird are white in colour and are seen to have a small black “bib” below its bill. The cheeks will turn a dusky brown colour near the ear coverts. The tail, wings and the upperparts of the bird are greyish brown and having paler fringes on the tertials. The lower parts of the bird are off white in colour and may have a buff or a brown coloured tinge. The bill of the bird is black in colour and the legs are dark grey. It is seen that the young ones are very similar in appearance to the adult except that the plumage on the crown and the bib is of a paler black colour, having upperparts that are more greyish in colour and the lower parts being paler.

The Marsh Tits are omnivorous in nature. They mostly feed on small insects like spiders and bugs during the spring and the summer seasons. However, during autumn and winter, they consume nuts, berries, and seeds including the Thistle seeds. The Marsh Tits prefer the Beech mast as food, when it is available. They collect the food and store them in large numbers so that they can be retrieved for later use. These birds will store the seeds in places such as on the ground, in hollows of trees, under lichens or moss, or even in leaf litter. However, these stored seeds may be stolen by other Marsh Tits or other birds.

The Marsh Tits are monogamous birds and it is seen that they pair once during their lifetime. The birds usually build their nests usually in holes on trees but may also be built in holes in walls or also on the ground. The nest is made of moss and may be lined with hair or some feathers. They lay about 5 or 9 eggs that are white in colour but red speckled in appearance.