Bearded Tit

This autumn Chris and Kate investigate the arrival of various migrating birds at Radipole lake, an area hosting large flocks of bearded tits in residence.

For the bearded tit, the arrival of autumn necessitates a change in feeding behaviour triggering a remarkable change in digestive morphology.

More about the species

Bearded tits are small brown birds with long tails, and black and white lines down their wings. The males have a blue-grey head and distinctive black moustaches rather than 'beards'.

Bearded tits are sociable and noisy birds. Their characteristic "ping" calls are often the first betrayal of their presence in reedbeds. Groups of bearded tits are occasionally seen erupting from reedbeds in noisy flocks to relocate to better feeding areas.

Autumn sees the gradual disappearance of the bearded tits' main source of food: insects and spiders. To cope with this, bearded tits change their feeding behaviour to focus on seeds and berries, prompting their gizzards to thicken, doubling in weight. They also consume considerable amounts of grit to help grind down tough particles in the gut.

They are particularly vulnerable to severe winters and their population has declined in recent years, making them an Amber List species. Their high dependence on reedbeds may account for their fragmented populations.