10
Aug
Walking through St James’s Park, I spotted loads of activity from these curious little creatures. I always have difficulty remembering which is which, so this post is really about solidifying it in my own mind. And if it helps you out too, then great!
Coal Tit
The Coal Tit is smaller and more delicate than the Great Tit. It has a black cap and bib, white cheeks, and a distinctive white patch at the back of its neck. Its body is generally greyish rather than bright yellow. Think: small, grey and white neck patch.
Blue Tit
The Blue Tit is the colourful one. It has a blue crown, blue wings and tail, yellow underparts and white cheeks with a dark eye stripe. It is smaller than a Great Tit and tends to look rather cheeky and energetic. Think: blue hat, yellow body.
It is easy enough to identify the adult, but look at the juvenile.
Great Tit
My Great Tit is a youngster, so he doesn’t yet have the crisp, strongly defined markings of an adult. He has a yellowish breast and belly, a dark head with pale cheeks, and a developing black stripe down the chest. The colours are softer, and the overall appearance is a little more scruffy — very much a young bird finding his way in the world.
The Great Tit is the largest of the three and probably the easiest to recognise once you know what to look for. It has a glossy black head, prominent white cheeks, and a bright yellow breast crossed by a distinctive black stripe down the middle. Think: big, bold, and yellow.
My quick identification cheat sheet:
🐦 Great Tit: yellow + black stripe
🐦 Coal Tit: black cap + white neck patch
🐦 Blue Tit: blue cap + yellow body
I need to look further into my collection for more Tits to add to this post. Meanwhile, happy birding!
N x
