5 things you might not know about the long-tailed tit

2 min read
Long Tailed Tit

Long-tailed tits are brilliant little acrobats, and they aren't even true tits. They belong to a different family, Aegithalidae, and the long-tailed tit is its only member in northern Eurasia.

1. Their nest has over 6,000 pieces

A typical long-tailed tit nest uses more than 6,000 pieces of material, with a lining of over 2,000 downy feathers. The outside is covered with hundreds of pale lichen flakes for camouflage, and spider silk holds it together and lets it stretch as the chicks grow.

2. Most nests fail, so they help each other

Nests succeed only 17% of the time, usually because of predators. Around half of nests have one or more helpers, usually related adults, and birds whose own breeding has failed that become helpers have a better chance of surviving than those that do not.

3. They know their relatives by voice

Long-tailed tits avoid inbreeding by telling the calls of close relatives from the calls of strangers when choosing a mate. In winter they flock in groups of six to seventeen birds, which huddle together on cold nights.

4. Their tail is half their length

An adult is thirteen to fifteen centimetres long, but seven to nine centimetres of that is tail. A prolonged cold spell can wipe out up to 80% of the population, but they recover quickly because they breed so well.

5. They stay close to home

In Great Britain, the median distance travelled by a ringed long-tailed tit was just two kilometres. Of adults ringed, 95% were recaptured within twenty kilometres of where they were ringed.

A note on names

Francis Willughby called it the long tail'd titmouse in 1676, and an older nickname was bum-towel, because of the shape of its tail. Linnaeus gave it the species name caudatus, which just means tailed. There isn't much folklore, but it is easy to see why some people think of them as symbols of friendship and cooperation.

What long-tailed tits like to eat, and where

Long-tailed tits visit feeders in winter for high-energy food. Suet pellets and kibbled peanuts, which are in every one of our seasonal blends, suit them well. They travel in family groups, so hang a Little Lantern seed feeder filled with our seasonal bird food and be ready for a whole flock to arrive at once. If you are not sure which feeder suits your garden, our feeding quiz will point you in the right direction.

Want to keep track of the long-tailed tits in your garden? Amidst the Birdsong: A Garden Birdwatcher's Journal is made for exactly that.

Want to read about more garden birds? See all the birds in this series.

While you're here

Because there's always something worth knowing about the birds in your garden.
Clare Cahill

Thank you for reading!

Clare Cahill is a bird enthusiast with a passion for observing and learning. While she definitely doesn’t have a formal degree in ornithology, Clare has dedicated hours to reading birding books and exploring nature, constantly expanding her knowledge and deepening her love for wildlife.

For Clare, birdwatching brings a sense of calm and connection to the world, offering a peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. She believes that the more we connect with nature, the more we can do to protect and conserve it. Through her writing, Clare hopes to inspire others to take a moment to pause, look up, and appreciate the calm and connection that comes from letting a little wildness into our everyday lives.

About A Little Bird Co.

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  • What to feed the birds in summer

    Seasonal

    Birds have different dietary needs throughout the year, from nesting to moulting and surviving colder months. To support these changes, we’ve created seasonal blends – order a Seasonal Bird Food bag, and we’ll adjust the blend to match the season, making it easy to do something great for the birds.

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    We design our food and select our range of feeders with little birds in mind. Every ingredient in our blends is chosen because small birds love it, simplifying your bird feeding routine. Our feeders provide safe access to food while helping to keep out larger, more dominant species. Look out for robins, blue tits, wrens, finches and more visiting your garden for our food.

  • Support

    With birds in your garden, you’re never alone - they’re the friends who always visit. Feeding them supports wildlife conservation while bringing joy and calm. Whether spotting a new species or simply watching their daily routines, just ten minutes a day strengthens your connection with nature and boosts your wellbeing.

When life feels busy, the birds keep it simple.

There’s something lovely about how feeding the birds becomes part of the rhythm of your day. A scoop of seed, a clean dish of water - and then a pause, just to watch who turns up. It doesn’t have to take long, but those moments can be surprisingly grounding. A little burst of mindfulness, fresh air, a chance to notice your garden as it changes throughout the seasons, and the cheerful flutter of wings - it’s good for the soul.

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