The crested tit or European crested tit is a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. It is a widespread and common resident breeder in coniferous forests throughout central and northern Europe and in deciduous woodland in France and the Iberian Peninsula. In Great Britain, it is mainly restricted to the ancient pinewoods of Inverness and Strathspey in Scotland, and rarely strays far from its haunts. A few vagrant crested tits have been seen in England. It is resident, and most individuals do not migrate.
Region
Europe
Typical Environment
Found across central and northern Europe in mature coniferous forests, especially pine and spruce. In France and the Iberian Peninsula it also occupies mixed and deciduous woodlands with scattered conifers. It favors areas with abundant old trees and deadwood for nesting, and usually avoids heavily urbanized habitats. In Great Britain it is largely confined to ancient pinewoods of Inverness-shire and Strathspey.
Altitude Range
0–2200 m
Climate Zone
Temperate
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
The crested tit is instantly recognizable by its spiky black-and-white crest and white cheeks with a black bib. It nests low in rotten stumps or natural cavities, relying on deadwood-rich forests. Outside breeding season it caches seeds and insects for winter, often returning precisely to stored items. In Britain it is strongly associated with ancient Scots pinewoods of the Scottish Highlands.
Temperament
social and active
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with undulating flight
Social Behavior
Pairs hold territories year-round, becoming more tolerant in winter when they join small mixed flocks with other tits. They are cavity nesters, often using holes in decaying stumps and lining nests with moss, hair, and feathers. Both adults feed the young, and the species stores food in bark crevices and lichens for later use.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A rapid, rolling trill interspersed with thin, high-pitched notes. Calls include scolding, buzzy rattles and sharp see-see phrases, more rattling than other tits.
Plumage
Grey-brown upperparts with pale buff underparts and a sharply patterned head; striking pointed crest with black-and-white barring.
Diet
Feeds on insects and spiders in the breeding season, gleaning from needles, twigs, and bark. In autumn and winter it takes conifer seeds and other plant material, often hammering open cones. It frequently caches small items of food in bark and lichens and retrieves them during cold spells.
Preferred Environment
Forages mainly in conifer canopies and along trunks and branches, especially in mature pine and spruce stands. Will visit garden feeders in winter where within range, but remains most common in semi-natural forests.
