The Crested Tit is an iconic little bird in Europe with an easy-to-identify silhouette.
If you’re traveling in Europe, you may get to see this delightful little bird or hear its little trill. However, it may be difficult to get a picture of this small bird, because it is always on the go!
Crested Tits are a fun challenge for birders in Europe. While this bird species is not rare, it can be a bit elusive.
They are considered a species of the least concern, so their populations are doing well. However, you will need to learn to watch and listen out for these small birds if you want to catch a glimpse of one!
Crested Tit Identification Details
- Scientific name: Lophophanes cristatus
- Length: 11.5 cm (4.5 in)
- Weight: 10-13 g (0.35 – 0.45 oz)
- Wingspan: 18 cm (7 in)
The Crested Tit is Northern Europe’s only small songbird with a crested head.
The male Crested Tit is mostly grayish-brown, but his breast is a pale, buff color. He has a brownish-gray tail with dark brown edges and a black chin and throat. He has a black and white head and a short but spiked crest.
The sides of the male’s head are beige-white, and he has a black stripe over his light brown eyes. His bill is black, and his legs and feet are grayish-blue.
Females have similar coloring and patterns, but their crest is a bit shorter. The stripes on the female’s head are narrower than the male’s.
If you see a mostly brown Crested Tit, it is likely a juvenile.
Crested Tit Habitat & Range Information
Crested Tits live in mixed forests, including mostly coniferous forests.
Their range stretches from the Iberian Peninsula and across France and Scotland all the way to western Russia’s Ural Mountains. It travels as far north as Scandinavia and as far south as Greece and the Balkan Peninsula.
They are especially common in Scotland, where an entire population thrives, separated from the rest of the Crested Tits on the European mainland.
It seems that these birds cannot traverse unforested land easily, so populations tend to develop in a specific area and fail to expand beyond it. This could explain why there are so many in Scotland, but so few in the rest of the UK.
Breeding Information
Crested Tits breed in April.
Their incubation period only lasts between 13-16 days, and hatchlings stay in the nest for 20-25 days.
Females lay one or two clutches of eggs each season, with 5-6 eggs per breeding cycle. her eggs are 1.6 cm x 1.3 cm, which is quite tiny!
The nest of a Crested Tit is shaped like a cup and is made from moss and lichen. The female builds the nest independently and lines it with hair, wool, and even the fibers of spider webs.
Their preferred nesting habitat is in a rotten, decaying pine tree. They peck and pull at the rotting wood until they have a perfect cavity for their nest.
In less common circumstances, the Crested Tit will use a hole in the ground as a cavity for her nest.
Interesting Facts about the Crested Tit
Let’s take a look at some interesting facts about this tiny bird!
- The diet of a Crested Tit is made up almost entirely of invertebrates and pine seeds.
- They will hoard moth larvae during the fall so that they can survive during particularly harsh winters.
- To entice Crested Tits to your property, provide them with suet and protein-rich birdfeed, including mealworms.
- Crested Tits will inhabit pine plantations, but they exist in much more dense populations in old pine forests. This suggests that ancient forests are more hospitable to these small birds.
- Although the lifespan of the Crested Tit averages to about 2 years, there was one individual on record who lived to 7 years and 11 months!
- Crested Tits are monogamous for life and do not usually gather in large groups. You are most likely to see just one or two of these birds at once. This is part of the challenge of sighting Crested Tits.
Listen to the Crested Tit’s Vocalizations
The Crested Tit’s call is relatively quiet. It is sometimes called “bubbly,” and it repeats the same syllables multiple times in a row.
To familiarize yourself with the vocalizations and calls of the Crested Tit, check out these recent videos!
Here is a great, 1-minute video with the audio of a Crested Tit’s trill.
This 8-minute video has a nice, crisp recording of a Crested Tit.
This last video documents the Crested Tit in action, and you can also hear a number of its vocalizations.
Tips for Photographing the Crested Tit
Because Crested Tits are so small and quick, it can be difficult to get a good picture.
Many birders love the thrill of capturing a great image of the birds on their life lists, but that can be a challenge when the Crested Tit is on the go.
- Arrive at your photography spot early. Birds are more active in the mornings, especially for the “Dawn Chorus” hours at sunrise. This is when you are most likely to see a Crested Tit in the first place, which is the initial step to getting a good picture!
- Create a usable background. If you take a picture of a brown bird with a bunch of brown sticks and leaves behind it, your bird is just going to blend in with the background. Position yourself so that when you see the Crested Tit, you can place the sky, water, or open space behind it.
- Consider a spotting scope. Spotting scopes are like a telescope that you can use for a variety of purposes, including birding. When you hook your spotting scope up to your phone, you can get an incredibly detailed, up-close image of a bird that is quite far away!
The Audubon Society provides 10 tips for photographing birds if you want more advice on photographing wild birds.
Good Luck Spotting Crested Tits When You’re in Europe!
Whether you live in Europe or are planning to visit, keep your eyes open for the Crested Tit. This small, solitary bird is a joy to see, especially because of its cute, pointed crest.
At first glance, it may be difficult to differentiate between a male and a female, as they are quite similar in appearance, but getting a good picture can help you identify the sex later.
If you’re in northern Europe and you see a small, crested songbird, you probably just saw a Crested Tit.