Blue tit, Parus caeruleus - Profile, breeding season and food


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bluetit

When winter is not over yet, the first sounds of the blue tits can already be heard. The blue tit is considered to be relatively hardy, but both winter and its enemies make their chances of survival difficult. In order for this unique species of birds to enchant their environment with their singing and the colorful plumage for decades or longer, you should inform yourself about everything worth knowing in the following. In addition, you will learn through professional tips on how to behave in which situation.

Characteristics

  • Name: Blue tit
  • Scientific name: Cyanistes caeruleus
  • Genus: Cyanistes
  • Occurrence: almost Europe-wide, Asia, Africa
  • Size: Length between 62 mm and 71 mm
  • Weight: between 11 grams and 12.1 grams
  • Plumage: predominantly blue-yellow with accents in white and gray
  • Food: mainly animal
  • Average age: five years

recognition

The blue tit is very conspicuous in its colorful plumage and can usually be easily distinguished from other birds. The back and the wings are in a steel blue that changes to the neck to a "washed-out" gray, interrupted by a light blue "neck band". The wings are white at the bottom.
Usually, the head has a blue "cap" and then passes white over.
Particularly striking is the black stripe that pulls from the eyes sideways and horizontally in the direction of the neck. The white cheeks end in the lower area with a black collar, which is followed by the yellow abdominal area and the yellow color extends to the flanks. The beak is very short and dark brown to black colored. The legs are light gray. Basically, the female is a little smaller and lighter than the male.

moult

The moult is a change of plumage and is common to most bird species. Nature makes differences between the moulting of juveniles and adult blue tits.
Jung Meise
After the young tit has received its first plumage as a nest stool, it loses this in different stages. The pale yellow plumage in the head area changes to the end of the so-called youth wall between mid-July and late October of the first year of life. The first plumage on the trunk and wings loses the young blue tit until the 18th day after hatching, when it becomes fledged. Here, the plumage gets a much more recognizable color, as it is typical of the blue tit, but intensified only in the second year of life and then is indistinguishable from the old tits.
Adults
The adult tree irons go through a Vollmauser once a year. The beginning is called in the jargon "postnupial", which means "after the wedding." This means that only when it comes to the first mating, the first Vollmauser takes place, which is usually the following year after the hatching of the This is followed by approximately six weeks each year before the partial males of the males, the annual males, most of which are moulting during the rearing of the young males, which extends over an average period of 120 days, which is a long term for birds.

singing

The Cyanistes caeruleus has a very varied vocals and has a high recognition value. This bird usually starts the song with a high-pitched "tii-tii" and then goes into a trampling-rich trilling. Especially diverse is the so-called Reviergesang. At the same time, the blue tits also agree with this to three times "tii-tii", which, however, is sung much lower than in normal singing.

bluetit


This is followed by between five and 25 short trill blocks. Mostly these are the same length, but can be accompanied by longer stanza passages, especially in the middle vocal part. If this is the case, then usually shortened stanzas follow. With the Reviergesang long before the actual mating time attracted attention.

food

Blue tits feed especially during rearing, mainly of animal products that they find in nature. From autumn to spring, they also deviate to vegetable food. Your meal list consists of:
  • worms
  • be crazy
  • Various little insects
  • larvae
  • seeds
  • Berry
Especially in the search for food or the food, the Cyanistes caeruleus shows as clever and clever. For example, she often tricks sparrows or scares smaller songbirds off a food source. Especially in winter, it does not stop to steal the nuts from the hiding places of jays, which costs a lot of courage, because the jay is one of the natural predators of the blue tits.

predators

As popular as this species of tits is in humans because of their splendor of color and the sonorous singing, they are also so gladly seen as a food offering in the animal world. Especially in the first year of life, many young animals lose their lives.
Among the biggest life-threatening dangers are the following predators:
  • peregrine
  • parasites
  • hawk
  • cats
  • corvids
  • jay
In addition, man is another source of danger. In some regions, the blue tit is considered a real delicacy on the food list, while also often targeting many an air rifle, the small body can not withstand.

proliferation

First mating
The sexual maturity received blue tits usually before completion of the first year of life. So it may happen that female pups lay their first eggs at the age of ten months, which is less the case. On the other hand, a first mating in the second year is usual. For the one-year-old juvenile, the mating rate is estimated to be under 30 percent.
mating season
Already in the middle of January, the blue-headed male can be observed in many ways as they announce their interest in titmice to potential competitors by driving them out of close proximity. With the Reviergesang they attract females, which can last until March.
In July a second mating season can take place, which is quite rare.

bluetit


eggs
By the end of April, the first eggs will be laid in the current year. Most are between five and 15 eggs. These are minimally glossy, have a smooth surface, and have varying intense reddish brown spots / spots. In addition, have a typical spindle shape for tits.
Usually one egg is laid per 24 hours.
brood
Once the eggs have been laid, the female starts to breed. Researchers have calculated an average breeding time of 26 minutes. Then she leaves the nest for about ten minutes and warms the eggs again. These times may vary depending on the ambient temperature.
The colder it is, the shorter the breeding breaks become. The average breeding time, however, remains. During brooding, the blue-headed male is always in the immediate vicinity. It keeps an eye out for potential dangers in the hatchery and feeds the female during hatching.
Incubation period
The entire breeding period is between 13 and 15 days. Thereafter, the young titts hatch as so-called nest stools. This means that they are born without plumage and their eyes and auditory canals are closed.
Young Bird development
If the offspring has hatched, the first development is progressing quite fast:
  • After about a week, the first part plumage grows
  • At the same time the eyes and auditory canals open
  • This is followed quickly by the "food scream" of the nest stools
  • Males now also take over the feeding
  • From the eighth day, both parents feed the same amount
  • Largest feed requirement between the 11th and 15th day
  • Plumage completes itself until the 18th day
  • Leaving the nest: between the 18th day and the 22nd day
If the male still has another brood of another female, he usually switches between the breeding sites. Accordingly, his length of stay is reduced at the respective locations, or the feeding takeover of the boys.

nest

If the male has found his territory to search for his mating partner, so he peeks out the environment for a suitable nesting place. For this he concentrates on any kind of caves that can be found in trees and walls. Not infrequently, they also take over caves previously used by woodpeckers, which are unused. Blue tits are also welcome to man-made nest boxes. Once mated, the male leads the female to the breeding site.
Here only the female designs the nest. This requires blades of grass, moss, small twigs and animal hair and feathers. The construction period usually extends over two days. If there is a danger, a new nest site will be searched for, so that the period may be delayed beyond 14 days, until a nest in a safe place is ready for the brood. A special feature is the formation of the nest.
This is less taken into account in the construction, but the female lays down on the upper layer and presses and pushes back and forth until she has pushed the interior outward ample. This creates a small monotony in which the eggs lie deep in the nest and can not fall out.
TIP: Should an egg fall out, gently put it back into the nest. However, you should wait until the female interrupts the brood and does not see that you approach the nest.

wintering

The blue tit is one of the migratory and standing birds. This means that one part is heading south as autumn approaches, while others remain in central Europe. From the cold north, this species of tits makes its way predominantly to the warm Mediterranean Sea in September. Those who stay in Central Europe prepare for the icy temperatures in the best possible way.However, the blue tits rely on the help of humans, especially during snow-covered landscapes. Even though this is extensive, not every bird survives the winter period.
winter quarters
Birds like the Cyanistes caeruleus have a higher body temperature than mammals at 39 to 40 degrees Celsius. This means that they also freeze faster, which is why they would not survive the winter in wind and cold protected places, such as on a branch. The remarkable thing about them is that they are still not looking for a suitable winter quarters. Sexually mature and mating blue tits are already in the fall of their mating territory and the males look for the optimal breeding cavity.

bluetit


Not infrequently, they already have a mating partner at their side, with which the male settles at the onset of winter. They cling to each other and warm each other. Since not all of these bird species have found breeding sites before the start of winter or have no mating partner, the chance of freezing is extremely high. For this reason, nesting aids are essential in winter to provide these specimens with a protected wintering place.
TIP: If you have failed to clean your permanent nest box by mid-autumn, please do not bring it to your attention. The small blue birds only prefer to live in natural quarters and cleaners or completely clean nesting boxes are not favored for wintering.
body functions
Due to the high body temperature, cold really affects the body and its function. In conclusion, this leads to excessive energy consumption. To reduce this at least in the approach a little or not to be higher, these songbirds behave relatively quietly in the cold winter months. They usually leave their quarters only to search for food, without which they can not get along, because then the body functions could not be maintained. Only appropriate food leads them the lost energy again. However, the supply of food in winter is significantly limited.
winter feeding
In order to balance energy consumption with cold temperatures as well as possible, a high-fat diet is of great importance for the blue titmouse. This is usually not found in the wild, which is why it relies on artificial food offers in the form of, for example, special dumplings. Although it can find various berries or seedlings in winter, they bring little or no energy to the body.
TIP: Do not buy dumplings that are hung in a plastic net. Here the birds can get caught in it and in the worst case hurt badly. Better is a special food dispenser or feed box, if you can crumble a dumpling if necessary.
Conclusion
Tits are among the songbirds with the most distinctive and sonorous vocals. In addition, they are nice to look at because of their intense color and the harmonious play of colors between yellow and blue. They enrich nature in a wonderful way. Every year, countless of them die. The least do it beyond the age of two because they fall prey to their enemies, get sick or do not survive the winter. With your help, the risk of death can be reduced and the blue tits can be offered better living conditions, especially with regard to nesting hatcheries.

Blue tit, Parus caeruleus - Profile, breeding season and food

FAQ - 💬

❓ What time of year do Bluetit breed?

👉 Nests in tree holes and nest boxes from March to June, laying 5-12 red flecked white eggs which hatch after 14 days incubation by the female. The young fledge at 18 days old and are fully independent after 4 weeks. They have one or two broods per year depending on the availability of food.

❓ What is the common European bird parus caeruleus?

👉 Blue tit, Cyanistes caeruleus (protonym, Parus caeruleus), Linnaeus, 1758, also known as the blue titmouse, Eurasian blue tit or as the European blue tit, photographed at Cheshire, northwest England, UK.

❓ How long is mating season for parakeets?

👉 In the wild, parakeets will breed during the wet spring and summer periods. Because of this, parakeets in the north of the USA will find themselves in the mood all year round. They also require long daylight hours to stimulate the mating instinct.

❓ Are parakeets seasonal?

👉 SEASONAL OCCURRENCE: The Monk Parakeet occupies its stick nest the year around and generally does not wander far from it. These parakeets are sometimes seen in winter roosts of grackles. Egg laying in North America generally occurs from April to July and a second clutch may be laid in early September.

❓ What do Eurasian tree sparrows eat?

👉 Eurasian Tree Sparrows eat grains, seeds, fruits, flowers, and invertebrates. They forage on the ground, in grasses and bushes, and in the lower parts of trees, usually by picking and gleaning. On occasion they fly after insects. Around agricultural areas they consume oats, rye, wheat, corn, sunflower, and sorghum.

❓ What is the most abundant bird in Europe?

👉 house sparrowsEven if you don't know it, you have probably been surrounded by house sparrows your entire life. Passer domesticus is one of the most common animals in the world. It is found throughout Northern Africa, Europe, the Americas and much of Asia and is almost certainly more abundant than humans.

❓ What do Eurasian blue tit eat?

👉 They usually nest in tree holes, although they easily adapt to nest boxes where necessary. Their main rival for nests and in the search for food is the larger and more common great tit . The Eurasian blue tit prefers insects and spiders for its diet. Outside the breeding season, they also eat seeds and other vegetable-based foods.

❓ What is an Eurasian blue tit?

👉 The Eurasian blue tit ( Cyanistes caeruleus) is a small passerine bird in the tit family, Paridae. It is easily recognisable by its blue and yellow plumage and small size.

❓ What is the difference between a tit and a caeruleus?

👉 Parus is the classical Latin for a tit and caeruleus is the Latin for dark blue or cerulean. Two centuries earlier, before the introduction of the binomial nomenclature, the same Latin name had been used by the Swiss naturalist Conrad Gesner when he described and illustrated the blue tit in his Historiae animalium of 1555.

❓ What genus is a blue tit?

👉 The current genus name, Cyanistes, is from the Ancient Greek kuanos, "dark blue". The African blue tit ( Cyanistes teneriffae) was formerly considered conspecific . There are currently at least nine recognised subspecies:

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