The Crested Tit is not as colourful as the other tits. They are largely confined to ancient Caledonian pine forests and Scots pine plantations and are attracted to broken tree stumps and scattered birches.

Identification

Adult: Grey-brown upperparts, with a prominent, upstanding black and white streaked crest. Their white faces have black, clearly-marked eye stripes and a black bib which extends to enclose their eyes.
Size: 11–12cm.
Bill: Black, short and stubby.
Legs: Black, medium length.
Habitat: Ancient Caledonian pine and Scots pine forests and plantations, amongst tree stumps and birches.
Behaviour: Flits, takes off/lands on vegetation.
Flocking: 1–15.
Flight: Undulating, flitting.
Voice: Trilled chirr-chirr-rr.

Breeding

Nest: Holes in old tree stumps.
Eggs: 4–8. White with purple speckling.
Incubation period: 13–18 days.
Fledgeling: 17–21 days.
Broods: 1. April¬–May.
Food: Insects and seeds.
UK breeding pairs: 2,400.