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Difference between revisions of "Great Tit" - BirdForum Opus

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;Parus major
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[[Image:GreatTit.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo &copy; by {{user|Clarke+Robinson|Clarke  Robinson}}<br /> [[London]], [[England]], February 2007]]
[[Image:Great_Tit.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Photo by J�rgen Schmidt]]
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;[[:Category:Parus|Parus]] major
==Description==
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'''Includes: Turkestan Tit'''
The largest European tit - yellow an green with a glossy black head and white cheeks. A woodland bird but nowadays a garden bird. Sometimes aggressive, fighting withf other tits. In winter together with blue tits and other species.<br>
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==Identification==
 +
12·5–14 cm (5-5½ in); the largest European tit
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*Yellow and green
 +
*Glossy black head
 +
*White cheeks
 +
*Vertical black stripe on chest (broader on male)
 +
[[Image:Turketstantit.jpg‎|thumb|300px|right|Turkestan Tit<br />Photo &copy; by {{user|Askar+Isabekov|Askar Isabekov}}<br />Kazakhstan Shelek (Chilik), Enbekshikazakh region, Alma Ata oblast, [[Kazakhstan]], March 2007]]
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'''Juvenile''': cheeks are yellowish
 +
====Similar Species====
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The occasional bird is much greyer than the typical one, and needs to be compared carefully to [[Coal Tit]] which has two wing bars, different shape to the white spot on rear head/nape, and looks larger headed.
 +
==Distribution==
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From [[Europe]] and north [[Africa]] through central [[Asia]] to western [[China]]. <br/>
 +
In [[Wisconsin]], [[USA]], this species has been observed regularly (including breeding) for several years, but at this time the species is not considered established by any North American birding authorities.
  
==Habitats==
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==Taxonomy==
<br>
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[[Cinereous Tit]] and [[Japanese Tit]] were formerly included in this species. Turkestan Tit (''bokharensis'', ''ferghanensis'' and ''turkestanicus'') was formerly considered a full species.
Parks, woodlands and gardens all over Europe.<br>
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====Subspecies====
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[[Image:DSC 01964.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Juveniles<br />Photo &copy; by the late '''[https://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showgallery.php/ppuser/84230/cat/500 Chocky]'''<br />[[Devon]], [[UK]], May 2014 ]]
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[[Image:Great-tit-2-.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Photo &copy; by {{user|markranner|markranner}}<br />Tomintoul, Moray, [[Scotland]], February 2018]]
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This is a [[Dictionary_M-S#P|polytypic]] species <sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup> consisting of 15 subspecies:
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*''P. m. newtoni'': in the [[British Isles]]
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*''P. m. major'': [[Europe]] to north-western [[Iran]], [[Siberia]], Lake Baikal, Altai and Sayan mountains
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*''P. m. kapustini'': North-western [[China]] (north-western Xinjiang) to [[Mongolia]] and eastern [[Siberia]]
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*''P. m. corsus'': [[Iberian Peninsula]] and [[Corsica]]
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*''P. m. mallorcae'': [[Balearic Islands]]
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*''P. m. ecki'': [[Sardinia]]
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*''P. m. excelsus'': North-western [[Africa]] ([[Morocco]] to [[Tunisia]])
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*''P. m. aphrodite'': Southern [[Italy]], [[Sicily]], southern [[Greece]], Mediterranean islands and [[Cyprus]]
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*''P. m. niethammeri'': [[Crete]]
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*''P. m. terraesanctae'': North-western [[Syria]], [[Lebanon]], [[Israel]] and [[Jordan]]
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*''P. m. blanfordi''  (karelini): Northern [[Iraq]] and [[Iran]]
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*''P. m. intermedius'': North-eastern [[Iran]] and adjacent south-western [[Turkmenistan]]
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*''P. m. bokharensis'': [[Russia]] to Tien Shan and Karatau mts. and north-western [[Afghanistan]]
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*''P. m. ferghanensis'': Southern Kirgiz and western Tien Shan mts. to western Pamirs and Turkestan
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*''P. m. turkestanicus'': Lake Balkhash to western [[China]] (Xinjiang) and south-western [[Mongolia]]
  
==Breeding==
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==Habitat==
<br>
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Parks, woodlands and gardens all over Europe
Trees with nestholes or nestboxes.<br>
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==Behaviour==
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A woodland bird but nowadays a garden bird. Sometimes aggressive, fighting with other tits. In winter forms mixed feeding flocks with [[Blue Tit]], [[Coal Tit]]. [[Eurasian Treecreeper]] and other species
  
==Food==
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Frequent visitor to birdtables and seed-dispensers, thus well known. Bold, at times plain audacious, may take seed from outstretched hand.
<br>
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====Diet====
Seeds, Insects, nuts etc.<br>
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Insects and seeds, suet, beech nuts etc.  
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====Breeding====
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Breeds in all kinds of woodland (incl. in desolate taiga in far north) and in immediate proximity of man in parks and gardens.
  
==Song==
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Nests in roomy nestbox, tree-hole (e.g. decayed fruit tree), air duct and even letterbox. The clutch consists of 5-12 white eggs spotted reddish-brown which are incubated for around 2 weeks. The young fledge at around 16-22 days.  
<br>
 
Repeatedly 'tee-tjer tee-tjer'. Very often.<br>
 
  
==When==
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There may be a second brood if there is plenty of food. The breeding season runs between April to August in the [[UK]].
<br>
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====Vocalisation====
All year round.<br>
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{{ Audio|Parus major (song).mp3 }}
==Identification==
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L 13.5�15 cm. Breeds in all kinds of woodland (incl. in desolate taiga in far N) and in immediate proximity of man in parks and gardens. Frequent visitor to birdtables and seed-dispensers, thus well known. Bold, at times plain audacious, may take seed from outstretched hand. Food insects and seeds, suet, beech nuts etc. Nests in roomy nestbox, tree-hole (e.g. decayed fruit tree), air duct and even letterbox
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==References==
==Bird Song==
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#{{Ref-Clements6thAug18}}#Avibase
<flashmp3>Parus major (song).mp3</flashmp3><br />
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#Bird Watching
''[[Media:Parus major (song).mp3|Listen in an external program]]''
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#Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved August 2014)
 +
{{ref}}
 
==External Links==
 
==External Links==
*[http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/showgallery.php?mcats=all&what=allfields&si=Parus+major View more images of Great Tit in the gallery]
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{{GSearch|Parus+major}}
[[Category:Birds]]
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<br />
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{{Video|Great_Tit}}
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[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Parus]] [[Category:Videos]][[Category:Bird Songs]]

Revision as of 14:04, 5 April 2021

Photo © by Clarke Robinson
London, England, February 2007
Parus major

Includes: Turkestan Tit

Identification

12·5–14 cm (5-5½ in); the largest European tit

  • Yellow and green
  • Glossy black head
  • White cheeks
  • Vertical black stripe on chest (broader on male)
Turkestan Tit
Photo © by Askar Isabekov
Kazakhstan Shelek (Chilik), Enbekshikazakh region, Alma Ata oblast, Kazakhstan, March 2007

Juvenile: cheeks are yellowish

Similar Species

The occasional bird is much greyer than the typical one, and needs to be compared carefully to Coal Tit which has two wing bars, different shape to the white spot on rear head/nape, and looks larger headed.

Distribution

From Europe and north Africa through central Asia to western China.
In Wisconsin, USA, this species has been observed regularly (including breeding) for several years, but at this time the species is not considered established by any North American birding authorities.

Taxonomy

Cinereous Tit and Japanese Tit were formerly included in this species. Turkestan Tit (bokharensis, ferghanensis and turkestanicus) was formerly considered a full species.

Subspecies

Juveniles
Photo © by the late Chocky
Devon, UK, May 2014
Photo © by markranner
Tomintoul, Moray, Scotland, February 2018

This is a polytypic species [1] consisting of 15 subspecies:

Habitat

Parks, woodlands and gardens all over Europe

Behaviour

A woodland bird but nowadays a garden bird. Sometimes aggressive, fighting with other tits. In winter forms mixed feeding flocks with Blue Tit, Coal Tit. Eurasian Treecreeper and other species

Frequent visitor to birdtables and seed-dispensers, thus well known. Bold, at times plain audacious, may take seed from outstretched hand.

Diet

Insects and seeds, suet, beech nuts etc.

Breeding

Breeds in all kinds of woodland (incl. in desolate taiga in far north) and in immediate proximity of man in parks and gardens.

Nests in roomy nestbox, tree-hole (e.g. decayed fruit tree), air duct and even letterbox. The clutch consists of 5-12 white eggs spotted reddish-brown which are incubated for around 2 weeks. The young fledge at around 16-22 days.

There may be a second brood if there is plenty of food. The breeding season runs between April to August in the UK.

Vocalisation

References

  1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2018. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2018. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
  2. Avibase
  3. Bird Watching
  4. Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved August 2014)

Recommended Citation

External Links


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