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Winter Bird Feeder Camera – Blue tit

Webcam image captured by Hagnat, LK forum
Translation Liis
Blue tit and greenfinch

Blue tit       Sinitihane      Cyanistes caeruleus
 
The blue tit weighs almost half less than the largest great tits: a little more than 10 grams, body length up to about 12 centimetres. Blue tits manage on plant food in winter but we also offer our feathered friends fat balls, in some “tit bells” there is a mix of fat and oats, someone might offer unsalted lard. At all those the blue tits are happily busy.
 
The early morning active blue tits appear when the first great tits already have visited the feeder. The brisk blue tits arrive  after them, more prudent and a little wary about the surroundings. The bird quickly snatches a seed, and is gone.
 
In Estonia mostly adult birds winter, or pairs of blue tits who already have been breeding and who have managed to evade all dangers. They have very similar plumages. The female can be distinguished by her duller blue colour.
 
The round head of the little blue tits seems to be set directly on the body, there does not seem to be a neck, and on the yellow breast we will not see the familiar black band of the great tits but only slightly darker little streaks. A white band surrounds the sky-blue top of the head; males sometimes ruffle up the blue feathers on the head; cheeks are shining white.
 
The eyes and the area around the little beak and below the chin is covered by a narrow black mask; it is dark blue at the nape as is  the collar that widens at the nape. The back plumage shimmers in greenish, the wings and leg in blue. On the wings we note a white band similar to that on great tits. The little legs are greyish-blue.
 
A long and slightly complicated description but there would be even more to tell. For instance even this: that the black mask covering the eyes is a substitute for sunglasses for the blue tits. But we have to hold on things to tell the following years too.
 
When required the tiny blue tits are quite aggressive in fighting for a place at the feeder. Larger but slower birds know to be wary of their small sharp beaks and claws.
 
The migration urge has brought juveniles to Central and West Europe. The winter number is estimated to be more than 100 000 individuals – a more precise answer will be given by the winter bird census.
 
Blue tit photo: Arne Ader