Parus major (Great tit)
Parus major-Great tit (click to enlarge)
| Common name | Great Tit |
| Scientific name | Parus major |
| Family | Paridae (Tits) |
| Description | Glossy uncrested black head, glistening white cheek-patches, grey back and whitish underparts with a broad black band down the centre. Sexes alike. Frequents well-wooded localities, but not dense humid forest. Singly, pairs or parties, often hunting in association with other small insectivorous birds. Very active. Cings to sprigs, flowering stems and tree-trunks, etc., upside down and in other acrobatic positions in search of food – insects, their eggs and larvae, flower buds, fruit, kernels of small nuts and seeds. The latter are held down underfoot and hacked open with the strong conical bill. Joyous sweeching notes uttered while moving about. In the breeding season the male has a loud, clear, whistling song: whee-chichi, whee-chichi, etc. Resident and partial migrant Plains, and hills to about 2000 m. |