Granddad’s Camera
Long-tailed tit, as it appears in the game

No.202 · Birds · Uncommon

Long-tailed tit

Aegithalos caudatus

A pink-and-black ball of fluff with a tail longer than its body. Family flocks flow through the hedge in winter, calling to one another.

When to look

August to April, mostly at dawn and day.

Time of day

Best time
Flocks pass through gardens Oct–Feb, often mid-morning. Nesting March–May.
Where in the game
Millbrook (garden, park and churchyard)
Size
Length about 14 cm, of which about half is tail
Weight
About 7.8 g (BTO adult average)
Lifespan
Typically about 2 years once breeding; oldest ringed bird 8 years 11 months (BTO)
Population
About 380,000 territories in the UK (2016); up 16% 1995–2024 (BTO)
Status
Green (as listed by BTO)

Diet

Small insects and spiders picked from twigs; fat, suet and seed at feeders in winter.

Habitat

Woodland edge, hedges and gardens; flocks with other small species in winter.

Breeding

One clutch of 6–8 eggs, March–April. Incubation 15–18 days, fledging about 16 days. Younger birds often help feed another pair's chicks (BTO).

Field signs

  • Tiny black, white and pink bird with a very long tail, flying one after another between bushes
  • Thin, high 'tsee-tsee-tsee' contact calls and a rolling 'tirrr'
  • Domed nest of moss, lichen and cobweb in a bramble or gorse bush

Did you know?

  • The domed nest is built of lichen and cobwebs and lined with up to 1,500 feathers (BTO).
  • Long-tailed tits breed co-operatively: younger birds can help a breeding pair feed their chicks.
  • Numbers have increased 16% between 1995 and 2024 (BTO), helped by garden feeding.

Moments worth waiting for

  • Family flock on the move October to February, day
    A dozen long-tailed tits pour along the hedge one behind another, calling all the time.

Photo tip

Stand by a hedge in winter and wait; they move fast, so pre-focus on a bare twig near a feeder and shoot short bursts. They are so small that you need a long lens or a lot of patience.

Be a good naturalist

Never disturb a nest: the delicate dome is easily abandoned. Offer suet feeders with a fine mesh, not old netting.

The law

Protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981; it is an offence to damage an active nest.

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