Marsh Tit

The Marsh Tit (Poecile palustris) is a diminutive bird, a member of the tit family Paridae. It measures approximately 12 cm in length and weighs around 12 g. The species is characterized by a black crown and nape, which may exhibit a blue sheen at close range, contrasting with its pale cheeks. The back is a shade of brown, while the wings and tail are a greyish-brown hue. The underparts are off-white, with a buff or brown tinge most pronounced on the flanks and undertail coverts.

Identification Tips

When identifying the Marsh Tit, look for its black cap and nape, small black 'bib' below the bill, and white cheeks that turn dusky brown on the ear coverts. The upperparts are greyish-brown with paler fringes to the tertials. The bill is black, and the legs are dark grey. Juveniles resemble adults but have a duller black cap and bib, more greyish upperparts, and paler underparts.

Habitat

Marsh Tits are found in a variety of habitats, including moist, broadleaved woodlands, often with oak or beech trees, as well as wet alder woodlands, riverside trees, parks, gardens, and orchards.

Distribution

This species is widespread across temperate Europe and northern Asia, from northern Spain and southeastern Scotland to western Russia, and from the Altai Mountains in eastern Asia to northern Japan and northern and western China.

Behaviour

Marsh Tits are sedentary birds, with some populations moving southward in winter. They are monogamous, often pairing for life, and exhibit agility in their movements through trees and bushes. They join mixed-species flocks in winter but maintain a strong attachment to their territory.

Song & Calls

The Marsh Tit's vocal repertoire includes an explosive "pitchou" call and a variety of songs, such as a tit-like "schip-schip-schip-schip-ship" and a more liquid "tu-tu-tu-tu-tu". The species is also known by the old Staffordshire name 'Saw Whetter', referring to its scolding call.

Breeding

Marsh Tits nest in holes, often in trees, and may use old willow tit holes, enlarging them further. They lay a clutch of 5–9 white and red-speckled eggs, with the female incubating them for 14–16 days. The chicks fledge after 18–21 days and are fed by their parents for an additional week before becoming independent.

Similar Species

The Willow Tit is very similar in appearance to the Marsh Tit and can be difficult to distinguish, especially in the UK. The pale 'cutting edge' of the Marsh Tit's bill is a reliable feature when birds are caught for ringing. Voice is the best way to tell the two species apart in the field.

Diet and Feeding

Marsh Tits are omnivorous, consuming caterpillars, spiders, seeds, nuts, and berries. They are known for collecting and storing large numbers of seeds, which they hide in various locations and retrieve later, often using their memory rather than searching randomly.

Conservation Status

The Marsh Tit is classified as Least Concern globally, although there is evidence of a decline in numbers in some regions, such as the UK, where the population has dropped by more than 50% since the 1970s.