Wildlife
Blue tits are bright, inquisitive little birds that have been shown to use aromatic leaves from lavender, mint and curry plants to disinfect their nests. They are also infamous for following milkmen to take sneaky sips from milk bottles by tearing through the foil tops. Cosmopolitan foragers, blue tits are found throughout Britain and as far east as Iran.
Their colourful plumage makes them a cheerful sight on garden feeders, although during spring and summer they mostly feed on invertebrates. The yellowness of a male blue tit's breast is an indication of the number of yellowy-green caterpillars he has eaten, and a brighter breast is more attractive to females.
All you need to know about British birds.
Scientific name: Cyanistes caeruleus
Rank: Species
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Egg extremes
Kiwis lay a single huge egg, while blue tits opt for the opposite strategy.
Kiwis lay a single huge egg, while blue tits opt for the opposite strategy.
Blue tit beauties
Small, energetic, cute and fluffy, blue tits endear themselves to the nation.
Small, energetic, cute and fluffy, blue tits endear themselves to the nation.
Birdfeeder fights
Slow motion photography puts a new perspective on garden birds.
Slow motion photography puts a new perspective on garden birds.
Family politics
Martin Hughes-Games takes a closer look at the members of the tit family.
Martin Hughes-Games takes a closer look at the members of the tit family.
Milk thieves
Britain's inquisitive blue and great tits taught each other to peck into our morning milk.
Britain's inquisitive blue and great tits taught each other to peck into our morning milk.
The Blue tit can be found in a number of locations including: Asia, Europe, Mediterranean, Russia, United Kingdom, Wales, Ynys-hir nature reserve. Find out more about these places and what else lives there.
The following habitats are found across the Blue tit distribution range. Find out more about these environments, what it takes to live there and what else inhabits them.
Discover what these behaviours are and how different plants and animals use them.
Additional data source: Animal Diversity Web
The Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus or Parus caeruleus) is a small passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. The bird is easily recognisable by its blue and yellow plumage, but various authorities dispute their scientific classification.
Blue tits, usually resident and non-migratory birds, are widespread and a common resident breeder throughout temperate and subarctic Europe and western Asia in deciduous or mixed woodlands with a high proportion of oak. They usually nest in tree holes, although they easily adapt to nest boxes where necessary. The main rival for nests and search for food is the much larger Great Tit.
The blue tit prefers insects and spiders for their diet. Outside the breeding season, they also eat seeds and other vegetable-based foods. Blue tits are famed for their skill, as they can cling to the outermost branches and hang upside down when looking for food.
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The Pensthorpe Blue Tits In 2010 Springwatch followed a family of blue tits, a first for Pensthorpe.
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Garden birds
Nestcam close-ups, expert identification guides and specialist wildlife cameras give a privileged view of a very British obsession: garden birds.
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Oak wood
Farmland
Beech wood
Hedgerows
Parkland
Broadleaf forest
Coniferous forest
Urban
Helpless young
Adapted to flying
Acoustic communication
Egg layer
Parental investment
Visual communication