Mysterious blue tit behaviour (2 Viewers)

[Oldhui]

We have a blue tit building its nest at the moment and we observed some mysterious behaviour, which I don't know if it is courtship or defence. I hope someone may shed some light on this.

Yesterday evening (video), the nesting blue tit entered the box. A while later another one came with its wings lowered and seemed to be "begging" outside the box. Inside the box (video), the nesting one "bit into the air" even if it didn't see the other one later. It didn't look aggressive as it didn't spread its tail or made any noise. I am not sure if the one side was the male as it looks different from the male that used to come.

A while later (video), the blue tit outside was still lowering its wings and seemed to be begging outside the nest box. You can see the nesting one's behaviour (video).

This evening, we saw the nesting blue tit "attacking" the one outside (video). Is this really an attack?

 

[KC Foggin]

I'll let someone from your side of the pond to figure this out, but,

Hi there and a warm welcome to you from those of us on staff here at BirdForum
We're glad you found us and please join in wherever you like.

 

[Tired]

That biting action at the air is strange, and definitely looks aggressive to my (inexperienced) eye. Maybe it hears the other one outside and is upset? And that does appear to be something hostile in the last video, though it may be less an outright attack and more a shooing sort of action.

Have the tits nested already this year? I almost wonder if this is a fledgeling from a previous hatch, still wanting food. I don't know if Great Tits are one of the species that can have multiple clutches a year.

 

[Oldhui]

That biting action at the air is strange, and definitely looks aggressive to my (inexperienced) eye. Maybe it hears the other one outside and is upset? And that does appear to be something hostile in the last video, though it may be less an outright attack and more a shooing sort of action.

Have the tits nested already this year? I almost wonder if this is a fledgeling from a previous hatch, still wanting food. I don't know if Great Tits are one of the species that can have multiple clutches a year.

They are just starting to nest now. The one outside is an adult from its colour. Fledgings are yellow+green rather than white+blue, and it is not time to have blue tit fledging here yet. (It is cold in Scotland. ;-)

The female (which builds the nest) used to be accompanied by a bigger male. In the video, the one outside does not look like the male. Or I don't really know if it is another female/male.

I saw a blue tit mom defending her nest last year by spreading her tail and making some hissing sound. The female this time didn't show this behaviour but only pecking at the air. This is really strange.

 

[delia todd]

Hi Oldhui and a warm welcome from me too. I'm wondering if you actually have two females there, as that wing-fluttering display is part of a breeding ritual where she's begging food to prove that the male is a good provider. Inside the box, I'm wondering if the 'biting' action might indicate there are some insects in there that she's trying to grab?

Interesting behaviour to observe, please let us know what happens next.

All things Scottish can be found here. Also, keep an eye on threads titled something like Scottish Bashes; we try to meet up occasionally and they're always great fun. You'd be most welcome to join us on another if you can manage.

I'm sure you will enjoy it here and I hope to hear about all the birds you see when out and about.

 

[Oldhui]

Hi Oldhui and a warm welcome from me too. I'm wondering if you actually have two females there, as that wing-fluttering display is part of a breeding ritual where she's begging food to prove that the male is a good provider. Inside the box, I'm wondering if the 'biting' action might indicate there are some insects in there that she's trying to grab?

Interesting behaviour to observe, please let us know what happens next.

All things Scottish can be found here. Also, keep an eye on threads titled something like Scottish Bashes; we try to meet up occasionally and they're always great fun. You'd be most welcome to join us on another if you can manage.

I'm sure you will enjoy it here and I hope to hear about all the birds you see when out and about.

Thanks Delia. It did look like another female outside begging for food. Seems that she got the wrong bird/place begging at another female.

As a follow up, we didn't see the other female after that day. The nesting one continued to work hard and today she has a cup built. About 2 days ago we saw another typical defensive behaviour when a house sparrow wandered around outside the nestbox. The blue tit in the nest gave the typical hissing noise with her tail and wings spread. After about 1 minute, the male outside came from nowhere and drove the sparrow away. That was some typical courtship behaviour. And we were glad to see the male courtship feeding the female sometimes.

 

[Oldhui]

The blue tit nest in its current state:

 

[Oldhui]

The mysterious female blue tit comes back these two days. Here is a video showing her hanging around outside the nestbox. (Video is here.) The nesting female inside tries to drive her away. (Video is here.)

I am sure this is not the male as he comes back occasionally for courtship feeding. This third female also came while the nesting female wasn't in, and only look into the nest without entering.