Blue Tit
Cyanistes caeruleus
Order: PASSERIFORMES
Family: PARIDAE
AREA OF ORIGIN: EURASIa
Diet: INSECTS – WORMS – ARACHNIDS – FRUITS – SEEDS
Cyanistes caeruleus reaches a body length of 11-12 cm. The plumage on the upper body is greenish, while the belly is yellowish. The head has white feathers with a blue cap and a black throat patch. The wings and tail are blue in color (Schaefer 2018). Blue tits breed in spring, and an average clutch consists of 11 eggs. The incubation period lasts 14-15 days. The nestlings remain in the nest for up to 20 days after hatching (Winkel 1970).
Diet: Blue tits feed on insects and their larvae, spiders, and worms. They also consume plant materials such as fruits and seeds (Cowie and Hinsley 1988).
Threat Status: The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and the Red List of Germany classify Cyanistes caeruleus as “Least Concern.”
Exemplary Sources
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Winkel, W (1970)Experimentelle Untersuchungen zur Brutbiologie von Kohl- und Blaumeise (Parus major und P. caeruleus). In: J. Ornithol. 111 (2), S. 154–174.
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Cowie, RJ & Hinsley, SA (1988)Feeding Ecology of Great Tits (Parus major) and Blue Tits (Parus caeruleus), Breeding in Suburban Gardens. In: J. Anim. Ecol. 57 (2), S. 611.
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Schaefer, M (2018)Brohmer – Fauna von Deutschland. Ein Bestimmungsbuch unserer heimischen Tierwelt: Quelle & Meyer Verlag GmbH & Co.