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Great tit: Parus major

The great tit is the UK’s largest tit and it can often be spotted in woodland, parks and gardens. Nesting can take place in holes in trees, but the great tit is equally at home in a nest box. An extremely striking bird, it has a green and yellow body, glossy black head and white cheeks. It is around the same size as a robin.

It can be quite aggressive when food is involved and will fight off smaller tits at the bird table. In winter, the great tit congregates with blue tits and other birds to search for food in gardens and across the countryside. In summer, caterpillars, spiders, grasshoppers and flies are on the menu, whereas in winter their diet changes to include berries and seeds.

Measuring 14cm, great tits have a distinctive two-syllable call that sounds like “teacher-teacher”. Males feature a broad black stripe on their belly, while females have a much thinner one.

Nests are built in cavities such as holes in walls and trees, with April and May being a prime time for egg laying. Great tits typically lay seven to nine eggs in each brood.

Great tits love: Henry Bell Superior Seed Mix, No Grow Mix, No Mess Mix, Blue Tit Blend, Peanuts, Sunflower Hearts, Sunflower Seeds

Great tit: Parus major