Great tit (Parus major)
Eurasian nuthatch or wood nuthatch (Sitta europaea) - This photo was taken in Hokkaido, Japan
Key data
Size: 13 - 15 cm
Weight: 14 - 22 g
Diet: Insects, seeds, fruits, nuts, and berries
Season: All year round
Observation tip: Europe, Asia, and North Africa
Photography tips:
Lens: 600 mm or greater
Difficulty level: easy
The great tit (Parus major) is a small songbird belonging to the tit family (Paridae). It is approximately 15 cm long and has a wingspan of about 8 cm. The plumage of the great tit is unmistakable, with black, white, and yellow markings. The head, neck, and throat are black, while the wings and tail are black and white striped. The belly and chest are yellow, and the bill is short, sturdy, and black.
Great tits are highly adaptable birds that occur in a variety of habitats, including forests, parks, gardens, and urban areas. They are frequent visitors to bird feeders and can be seen in groups of up to twenty birds. Their diet consists of insects, seeds, fruits, nuts, and berries. Insects make up a larger portion of their diet in spring and summer, while they shift more to seeds in autumn and winter.
This species of bird can also be very tame and even feed from the hand when they become accustomed to humans.