FOR AGES 3 YEARS TO 18 YEARS
At Kidadl we pride ourselves on offering families original ideas to make the most of time spent together at home or out and about, wherever you are in the world. We strive to recommend the very best things that are suggested by our community and are things we would do ourselves - our aim is to be the trusted friend to parents.
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Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability.
Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
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.
The crested tit (scientific name Lophophanes cristatus) is a species of bird.
Crested tits belong to the Aves class of animals. They belong to the family Paridae and genus Lophophanes.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Crested tits have an average length of 4-4.7 in (11-12 cm). They are somewhat smaller than an average American tree sparrow.
The exact speed of the crested tit is not known.
The tit is a lightweight bird. It weighs around 0.3-0.5 oz (10-15 g).
A crested tit male and female is known as a cock and a hen respectively.
A baby crested tit is known as a chick.
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.
These birds are not dangerous by nature. They are a fun-loving, active, and social species.
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.
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.
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'.
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
Read The Disclaimer
At Kidadl we pride ourselves on offering families original ideas to make the most of time spent together at home or out and about, wherever you are in the world. We strive to recommend the very best things that are suggested by our community and are things we would do ourselves - our aim is to be the trusted friend to parents.
We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so it’s important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family.
Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability.
Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
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