Bird feeder guest – Marsh tit
Marsh tit.
| Marsh tit | Parus palustris |
Its earlier name was ”sootihane”, marsh tit, now called salutihane (”copse tit”). There are many other common names – halltihane (grey tit), pajutihane (willow tit), väike tihane (little tit), and many of these names are also used for the willow tit, põhjatihane.
Tomorrow we will introduce the willow tit, very similar to the marsh tit. But, to start with: the crown of the marsh tit is shiny black, and that of the willow tit matte black. The chin patch, or bib, of today’s subject is smaller, although that is a relative thing. The wings lack the lighter lengthwise stripe, they are uniformly brown. The marsh tit has a paler patch on its lower mandible, the willow tit’s beak is dark all over. The female and male of both species look similar. Both have visited the bird feeder. A watcher must observe them very closely.
As usual finally something about the winter population size – about one hundred thousand, in mainland Estonia.
Good that Arne’s photo bank has photos for nearly every bird event!
Willow tit.
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