# Great Tit (*Parus major*) The Great Tit is a colorful bird with a bright yellow belly and a black cap on its head. It loves to sing cheerful songs and can often be seen hopping around trees and gardens looking for food. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 2 - **Habitat:** Forests and gardens - **Also known as:** Great Titmouse, Parus major ![Great Tit](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Great_tit_%28Parus_major%29%252C_Parc_de_Woluw%C3%A9%252C_Brussels_%2813042792905%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: Frank Vassen from Brussels, Belgium, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Great_tit_%28Parus_major%29%252C_Parc_de_Woluw%C3%A9%252C_Brussels_%2813042792905%29.jpg) ## Appearance The Great Tit has a distinctive bright yellow belly with a prominent black stripe running down its middle. It features a glossy black head, striking white cheek patches, and a green back, making it easily identifiable from similar birds. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Passeriformes - **Family:** Paridae - **Genus:** Parus ## Interesting facts - A Great Tit can lay over 10 eggs in a single clutch! That's a lot of siblings! - In winter, they can lose up to 10% of their body weight overnight to stay warm! - These clever birds have shown they can learn from each other by watching. - They sometimes use animal hair, moss, and spider silk to build their cozy nests! ## Special abilities - **Clever Food Finder:** Great Tits can solve puzzles and use simple tools to access hidden food because of their intelligent brains. - **Master of Messages:** Great Tits have over 40 different calls that help them communicate danger, find mates, and defend territory. - **Feathered Fencer:** Great Tits can vigorously defend their nesting territory from intruders, sometimes even fighting off larger birds. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 12.5-14 cm - **Wingspan:** 21-26 cm - **Weight:** 0.016-0.022 kg - **Lifespan:** 2-10 years - **Speed:** 39 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 5-12 - **Incubation:** 12-15 days ## Diet & Feeding Great Tits love to eat insects, spiders, seeds, and sometimes even berries or nuts. - **Age differences:** Young birds are fed almost exclusively insects/larvae for protein; adults have a more varied diet. - **Primary Foods:** Caterpillars, Spiders, Sunflower seeds, Beech nuts, Berries - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Eurasian Sparrowhawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eurasian-sparrowhawk) (*Accipiter nisus*) — A common avian predator of adult Great Tits. - **Eaten by:** European Pine Marten (*Martes martes*) — A mammal predator that can raid nests or catch adults. - **Eats:** Speckled Wood butterfly (*Pararge aegeria*) — Their caterpillars are a key protein source for nestlings. - **Depends on:** Common Oak (*Quercus robur*) — Provides abundant insects and sheltered nesting locations. - **Depends on:** [European Beech](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-beech) (*Fagus sylvatica*) — Its seeds (beech nuts) are an important winter food source. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Singing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/singing): Singing animals produce complex vocalizations, often for purposes of attracting mates, defending territory, or communicating within their species. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Tool Use](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/tool-use): This trait describes organisms that manipulate external objects to achieve a specific goal. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Enjoy watching birds from a distance, and don't try to touch or catch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Great Tit? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Great Tit? 12.5-14 cm ### What is Great Tit's wingspan? 21-26 cm ### How much does Great Tit weigh? 0.016-0.022 kg ### How long does Great Tit live? 2-10 years ### How fast can Great Tit move? 39 km/h ### What does Great Tit eat? Great Tits love to eat insects, spiders, seeds, and sometimes even berries or nuts. ### Where is Great Tit usually found? Forests and gardens ## Where to spot - [Fota Wildlife Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fota-wildlife-park) — Municipal District of Cobh, IE · Zoo - [Bioparc Valencia](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bioparc-valencia) — Valencian Community, ES · Zoo - [Blumengarten Bexbach](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/blumengarten-bexbach) — Saarland, DE · Park - [Tiergarten (Berlin)](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/tiergarten-berlin) — Berlin, DE · Park - [El Retiro Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/el-retiro-park) — Comunidad de Madrid, ES · Park - [Parque del Oeste (Madrid)](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/parque-del-oeste-madrid) — Comunidad de Madrid, ES · Park [View all places to see Great Tit](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/great-tit) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Great Tit: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-tit)