Identifying Tits
Here's a little short video I made that might help you identify various Tits
Here's a summary of what features distinguish the different tits.
Great Tit - Parus major (Meantán mór)
- The largest tit in Ireland and the UK
- Has obvious big white cheeks
- Green Back and Yellow underparts
- Black stripe down the belly
- Glossy black crown on the head
- One of it's common calls sound like "Teacher teacher teacher"
Blue Tit - Parus caeruleus (Meantán gorm)
- Only other tit with yellow underparts (like Great Tit)
- Green back (like Great Tit) but blue wings
- Black stripe through the eyes and blue crown
Coal Tit - Parus ater (Meantán dubh)
- Buff underparts (not yellow)
- Obvious white patch on the back of the neck
- Grey back
- Two-note see-sawing call like a squeaky wheel
Marsh Tit - Poecile palustris (No Irish Name)
- UK only (unlikely in Ireland - only one sighting recorded in 1990)
- Mainly brown bird
- White cheeks and glossy black crown (like Great Tit)
- Beige underparts
Long-tailed Tit - Aegithalus caudatus (Meantán earrfhada)
- Distinctive long tail (longer than the body)
- Usually in a excitable flock of 12 to 20 birds
- Pink, White and dark Grey
- Tiny stumpy beak
