Fun Crested Tit Facts For Kids

The crested tit (Lophophanes cristatus) is a small and active bird known for its conspicuous crest which is where it gets its name from. Although a resident of northern and central Europe, it is a common bird that occurs in multiple places like Scotland, west Russia, and the Balkans. They prefer to dwell in the Caledonian forest of the Scottish Highlands as it is their ideal breeding ground. However, they inhabit woodlands, shrublands, and orchards as well. They are hyperactive and busy and prefer to travel in pairs or groups rather than being alone. This brown and gray bird may not be as colorful as other tit birds but their gorgeous and proud crest sets them apart. These birds are known to migrate to warmer temperatures for protection and food during winter as starvation and extreme weather conditions are their main threats.

For more relatable content, check out these green-backed tit and Japanese tit facts for kids.

What type of animal is a crested tit?

The crested tit (scientific name Lophophanes cristatus) is a species of bird.

What class of animal does a crested tit belong to?

Crested tits belong to the Aves class of animals. They belong to the family Paridae and genus Lophophanes.

How many crested tits are there in the world?

The population of this species is estimated to be 10,900,000-19,999,999 mature individuals. Although this bird is common, their current population trend suggests that they are decreasing in number.

Where does a crested tit live?

The European crested tit is a common species with an extensive distribution. It is a native resident of northern and central Europe. However, their range spreads out from the Iberian Peninsula to the Ural Mountains. Scotland, England, France, west Russia, northern Greece, and Scandinavia also fall under its range.

What is a crested tit's habitat?

The crested tit (Lophophanes cristatus) ideal habitat is coniferous forests, pine plantations, and the Caledonian pine forests of the Scottish Highlands. Apart from forests, this bird can also make a home out of mixed woodlands, gardens, orchards, and shrublands.

Who do crested tits live with?

Crested tits are amicable and social creatures. They may be spotted alone at times but they usually tend to travel in pairs or groups of five to six. These birds also forage with other tits namely the treecreeper, coal tits, and goldcrests.

How long does a crested tit live?

The life expectancy of a crested tit (Lophophanes cristatus) is up to seven years but their average lifespan is only a mere two years. Threats such as deforestation, forestry malpractices, and starvation during winter lower their longevity.

How do they reproduce?

The breeding season begins in late March for the adult crested tit and concludes by June. After mating, the couple occupies themselves with building a suitable nest. Usually, hollow holes in dead trees are this bird's choice nesting location but they may also settle for an abandoned woodpecker's nest. If crested tits are residents of Caledonian pine forests, they nest in scots pine snags. They fill their nests with moss, fleece, and feathers to build a cozy atmosphere before the female tit lays five to six eggs. The mother bird incubates the eggs for 13-18 days. The parents take turns feeding the hatchlings for approximately 18-22 days.

What is their conservation status?

Although the population trend of crested tits suggests that their numbers are decreasing, the conservation status of the bird is evaluated as Least Concern by the IUCN.

What do crested tits look like?

This bird's plumage is a pale brown on the upperparts and gray on the underside. The wings, flight feathers, and tail are dark gray to dark brown in color. Its head is gray-white with a dark black patch underneath the beak and a black stripe that travels from its eye to the backside of the head. The well-defined triangular crest of the bird is black and white chequered. Its bill is black, its eyes dark brown and its legs and feet are pale bluish to gray.

How cute are they?

A favorite among bird-watchers and wildlife photographers, the great crested tit is undeniably beautiful and cute, just like a great-crowned sparrow. This species is known for its eye-catching crest and minutely detailed features that separate it from all other tits. Its miniature size, innocent eyes, and shrill song all add to the bird's allure.

How do they communicate?

This black and white bird has two distinct communication styles. When they have to communicate in the long-range their calls are loud and reverberating. When they have to vocalize within a short distance, their tone is soft and high-pitched.

How big is a crested tit?

Crested tits have an average length of 4-4.7 in (11-12 cm). They are somewhat smaller than an average American tree sparrow.

How fast can a crested tit fly?

The exact speed of the crested tit is not known.

How much does a crested tit weigh?

The tit is a lightweight bird. It weighs around 0.3-0.5 oz (10-15 g).

What are the male and female names of the species?

A crested tit male and female is known as a cock and a hen respectively.

What would you call a baby crested tit?

A baby crested tit is known as a chick.

What do they eat?

Crested tits are omnivores by nature. Their diet mainly consists of small invertebrates and pine seeds found in the forest. These birds have a special liking for spiders, mealworms, and caterpillars. During April, they prefer to feed on scots pine seeds while during the fall, they switch to consuming moth larvae. These birds also hoard pine seeds and moth larvae for later consumption since starvation during harsh winter periods is a real crisis for them. They can be found feeding on lower branches of trees during the later months of the year.

Are they dangerous?

These birds are not dangerous by nature. They are a fun-loving, active, and social species.

Would they make a good pet?

Tits are not usually kept as house pets as they do not serve many purposes. Additionally, the crested tit is a resident of Europe and it has a wide-range distribution inclusive of Scotland, Greece, the Balkans, and Scandinavia. This bird loves to live in the open. This bird would find a household atmosphere unsatisfactory or inadequate since it has adapted to life in the forest.

Did you know...

Their choice of habitat is the Caledonian pine forest of the Scottish Highlands since it is ideal for breeding. Not only can they build a satisfactory nest in scots pine snags but they can also feed on the seeds which happen to be one of their favorite delicacies.

In case of crested tit female vs male in terms of looks, the sexes look almost alike. The female simply has a shorter crest and narrower stripes.

What is the crested tit's call?

The crested tit song has a soft bubbly and purring trill that sounds close to a high-pitched 'see-see-see' or a thin 'zit-zee'. A normal call of this bird will typically begin in a thin, rising tone before falling to a low-pitched chirrup of 'brrrr-rrup'.

What are the comparisons with other tit birds?

Some of the most popular and wide-ranging tit birds are the willow tit, marsh tit, Japanese tit, black-crested tit, the coal tit, and the blue tit. The crested tit may not be as colorful as the other birds but their distinct black and white crest sets them apart from the other tit birds.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds from our red bird of paradise facts and cardinal bird facts pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable blue tit bird coloring pages.

Second image by J.M. Garg