Great Tit

Parus major

A large tit (chickadee) of woodland and gardens from Ireland through to Japan. In most areas they are resident but the sub- arctic birds move south for the winter. The black head is nicely set off by the white cheeks. The males have a broader, and the females a thinner, black band from between the legs broadening to form a black chest patch. The rest of the belly is yellow and the back green.

Great Tits are often found in flocks - except during the breeding season. All sorts of calls but the characteristic song is 'Teach-you, teach-you ... '. About 2,000,000 pairs in Britain and Ireland.

A tit - sometimes called titmice or chickadees.

The following Bird On! picture is available:

Great Tit (Watercolour by Robert Gillmor)

Length	140 mm
Closed wing	76 mm
Weight	18.5 gms

A Bird On! Sketch by Chris Mead
Copyright © 1996 by Jacobi Jayne & Company and Chris Mead