You saw a little black and white shuttlecock in your garden? It could be the long-tailed tit. How to identify the long-tailed tit, further information and pictures can be found in our species portrait.
The Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus) is one of the cutest songbirds of all time. The small, black and white birds would be just 5 centimeters tall without their long tail and look like little shuttlecocks scurrying through the branches of trees. This effect is even more pronounced in winter when the songbirds fluff up to protect themselves from the cold. However, the eponymous tail gives the small birds a fabulous balance, which is why they are able to perform amazingly graceful maneuvers on very fine branches despite their rounded shape. However, the second part of her name is somewhat misleading. Long-tailed tits are not closely related to our conventional blue tits or great tits. You can find out how to identify the funny songbirds, recognize young animals and give long-tailed tits a home in our large profile with pictures and other exciting information.
Long-tailed Tit: Profile
| Size | About 14 cm |
| Weight | Up to 10g |
| Incubation | March - June |
| Lifetime | About 5 years |
| Habitat | Forests, parks and gardens with lots of undergrowth |
| Food Preference | Insects, Spiders, Seeds and Nuts |
| Threats | Declining food and habitat |
How to recognize the long-tailed tit
Tall tits are unmistakable. The small birds have black and white elytra, a black back and pink shoulders. Their underside and their face are whitish, the flanks slightly pink. The long, dark tail makes up more than half of the body length. Male and female long-tailed tits cannot be distinguished visually.
The subspecies Aegithalos caudatus occurring in Central Europeeuropaeus is also characterized by a dark eye stripe. In contrast, the subspecies Aegithalos caudatus caudatus, which is mainly native to Northern Europe, has a pure white head.
What's that long-tailed tit singing like?
The singing of long-tailed tits is quite inconspicuous and rarely heard. It consists of a low, high-pitched chirp and trill. In addition to singing, the little bird also has other bird calls, such as several calls: From a purring "Zerrr" to a three-syllable "Sri-sri-sri" to a clicking "Teck".
This is how long-tailed tits sing:
How do you recognize a young Long-tailed Tit?
Young long-tailed tits are just as distinctive as their parents. They are recognizable from an early age by their typical small body shape and long tail. They can be distinguished from the adult animals by a dark forehead and dark sides of the head, which accentuate their red eyelid ring. They're also missing their pink shoulders.
What do long-tailed tit eggs look like?
Long-tailed tits lay seven to twelve dull, whitish eggs. These are about 1.4 centimeters in size and covered with brownish or greyish speckles. The eggs are laid in an elaborate, oval-shaped nest that has a side entrance and is constructed from materials such as moss, plant fiber, feathers, cobwebs and hair.
What habitat does the long-tailed tit prefer?
Long-tailed tits are found in mixed and deciduous forests, open areas rich in structure, parks and gardens. A dense undergrowth of hedges, bushes or shrubs is important for them when choosing a habitat.
Where does the long-tailed tit build its nest?
The long-tailed tit builds its nest in dense vegetation. This can be in a ground-level shrub or in the forked branch of a tall tree. The nest itself is built with a great deal of care and lots of tightly woven nesting material. The construction of this spherical work of art can take up to three weeks. From the outside, the nest is additionally camouflaged with lichen or bark.
When is the breeding season of long-tailed tits?
The breeding season of long-tailed tits lasts from March to June. During this time they moveUsually pairs only one brood. The eggs are incubated by the female for about 14 days. During this time it is supplied with food by the male. After hatching, the young birds are fed in the nest. Depending on the number of eggs, other birds besides the parents can also help with feeding long-tailed tits. These helpers are usually closely related to the male and are either unmated or have failed in their attempt to breed.
Where does the long-tailed tit spend the winter?
Our domestic long-tailed tits also spend the winter with us. The small birds are very sensitive to the cold and therefore like to sleep in small groups snuggled up close to each other on branches or in protective bushes. Harsh winters can severely deplete stocks.
Because of this, populations from more northern regions are fleeing their breeding grounds and moving south. Then they are also our guests and we have the opportunity to observe the white-headed subspecies Aegithalos caudatus caudatus, which is otherwise native to northern Europe.
Supporting the long-tailed tit in the garden: This is how it works
Structurally rich areas with copses and forests with dense undergrowth have become a rarity in our intensively used landscape. That is why numerous wild birds find refuge in parks or wild gardens. Find out here how you can give the long-tailed tit a home in your own garden.
What do long-tailed tits eat?
long-tailed tits feed mainly on insects and other small animals. In winter, however, these are scarce, which is why the food spectrum is expanded to include plant-based foods such as seeds or berries.
If you want to help the small songbirds through the cold season and offer them additional food, then you should use grain or fat food. Peanuts and other oily seeds, for example, are popular because they provide a lot of energy. Long-tailed tits can also be observed on fat balls in winter. We therefore recommend our Plantura fat balls as a special treat. These consist of high-quality insect fat and rich nuts, seeds and berries for optimal nutrition.
Which nesting aids are suitable for long-tailed tits?
Classic nesting boxes, such as those used for blue or great tits, are rarely used by long-tailed tits. who his luckIf you want to try it, you should use a fully hollow box that has an entry hole of 3 cm. You can find out how you can generally make a nesting box yourself in our special article.
However, do not be disappointed if your nesting aid is obtained from another bird species, because long-tailed tits usually prefer to build their nest themselves. And you can also support the small birds here, because by offering bushy hedges or Shrubs allow you to create natural nesting sites. We particularly recommend very dense plants or plants with thorns, such as wild roses, which protect the breeding grounds from cats and other predators.
How can you support the long-tailed tit?
Birdseed can be an important support for wild birds - especially in the cold season. Nevertheless, it is only an extra income and it is therefore extremely important to promote the natural food supply of the birds. In the case of long-tailed tits and many other garden birds, the motto here is: insect protection is bird protection. With the design of an insect-friendly garden, you not only bring a lot of beneficial insects into your garden, but also offer wild birds a richly laid table. Creating a flowering meadow, for example, attracts pollinators, pest controllers and other small animals to your garden. You can do this particularly quickly and easily with our Plantura beneficial insect magnet, for example.
However, you should avoid using chemical pesticides, as these often contain toxic substances and thus not only reduce the supply of insects, but can even poison the birds through the food chain.
By the way, many other insectivorous garden birds, such as the dunnock or the spotted flycatcher, are also happy about a non-toxic, sustainable and lively garden.