# Long-tailed Tit (*Aegithalos caudatus*) The Long-tailed Tit is a small, fluffy bird with a very long tail! They love to flit around in trees and are often seen in cheerful little groups, making them fun to watch. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 1 - **Habitat:** Woodlands - **Also known as:** Aegithalos, Long-tailed Titmouse ![Long-tailed Tit](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Long-tailed_tit_%2874940%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Long-tailed_tit_%2874940%29.jpg) ## Appearance The Long-tailed Tit has a tiny, round body with a remarkably long, narrow tail that is longer than its body. It features soft pinkish-white underparts, black and white wings, and often a distinctive black crown with a broad white supercilium or an entirely white head depending on the subspecies. Its unique tail length immediately distinguishes it from other small songbirds. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Passeriformes - **Family:** Aegithalidae - **Genus:** Aegithalos ## Interesting facts - A group of these birds is playfully called a "chattering" of tits! - Sometimes, a whole family sleeps snuggled together in a tight, warm row! - Their super long tail helps them balance when hopping through tiny branches! - They weave up to 2,000 tiny pieces of lichen and moss into their bouncy nests! ## Special abilities - **Super Snugglers:** Long-tailed Tits can huddle tightly together in groups because of their communal nature, which helps them stay warm on cold nights. - **Architectural Nest-Weavers:** Long-tailed Tits can build stretchy, dome-shaped nests because of their intricate weaving skills, which helps them accommodate many chicks. - **Acrobatic Foragers:** Long-tailed Tits can hang upside down because of their nimble feet and lightweight bodies, which helps them find hidden insects on twigs. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 13-16 cm - **Wingspan:** 16-19 cm - **Weight:** 0.006-0.009 kg - **Lifespan:** 2-8 years - **Clutch Size:** 6-12 - **Incubation:** 12-14 days ## Diet & Feeding These tiny birds mostly munch on tiny insects and spiders found in trees and bushes. - **Primary Foods:** Caterpillars, Aphids, Spiders, Insect eggs, Small beetles - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Eurasian Sparrowhawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eurasian-sparrowhawk) (*Accipiter nisus*) — A common aerial predator. - **Eaten by:** [Domestic Cat](https://www.snappit.app/explore/domestic-cat) (*Felis catus*) — A significant predator in gardens. - **Eats:** [Winter Moth](https://www.snappit.app/explore/winter-moth) (*Operophtera brumata*) — Feeds on larvae/caterpillars. - **Depends on:** [English Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/english-oak) (*Quercus robur*) — Provides foraging habitat and nesting material. ## 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. - [Arboreal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/arboreal): Arboreal animals live primarily in trees, utilizing them for shelter, food, and protection from predators. - [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. - [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. ## 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 them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Long-tailed 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 Long-tailed Tit? 13-16 cm ### What is Long-tailed Tit's wingspan? 16-19 cm ### How much does Long-tailed Tit weigh? 0.006-0.009 kg ### How long does Long-tailed Tit live? 2-8 years ### What does Long-tailed Tit eat? These tiny birds mostly munch on tiny insects and spiders found in trees and bushes. ### Where is Long-tailed Tit usually found? Woodlands ### How does Long-tailed Tit hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Zoo de la Palmyre](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/zoo-de-la-palmyre) — Nouvelle-Aquitaine, FR · Zoo - [Knowsley Safari Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/knowsley-safari-park) — England, GB · Zoo - [Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/shinjuku-gyoen-national-garden) — Kanto, JP · Park - [Juwangsan National Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/juwangsan-national-park) — KR · Park - [Takino Suzuran Hillside National Government Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/takino-suzuran-hillside-national-government-park) — Hokkaido, JP · Park - [Ise-Shima National Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ise-shima-national-park) — Kansai / Tokai, JP · Park [View all places to see Long-tailed Tit](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/long-tailed-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: [Long-tailed Tit: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/long-tailed-tit)