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MARSH TIT Parus palustris
 
Conservation Listings Long term trend

Table 4/Amber
(25-49% Population decline)
Biodiversity Steering Group Conservation Concern List

 UK: Rapid decline
 
Status Summary
Marsh Tit abundance has declined rapidly, despite improvements in breeding performance (nest failure rates at the egg stage (22 days, comprising 15 days incubation + 7 days laying) have fallen from 17% to 4%). Detailed demographic work at the BTO suggests that the decline may have been driven by low annual survival and that increased nest predation and inter-specific competition are not responsible (G.M. Siriwardena, unpubl.). Marsh Tits require woods of more than 0.5ha in area (Hinsley et al. 1995) and there is evidence from the CBC that declines are steeper on smaller plots (G.M. Siriwardena, unpubl.). Increased woodland isolation, a loss of or reduction in woodland understorey vegetation through grazing and reductions in dead wood availability could have contributed to the decline (Vanhinsbergh et al. 2001).
 
 
Table of population changes for Marsh Tit
Source Period
(yrs)		 Years Plots
(n)		 Change
(%)		 Lower
limit		 Upper
limit		 Alert Comment
CBC all habitats 30 1968-1998 55 -66 -76 -53 >50  
  25 1973-1998 55 -52 -64 -36 >50  
  10 1988-1998 53 -25 -38 -2    
  5 1993-1998 54 -21 -34 -6    
CBC woodland 30 1968-1998 39 -65 -77 -50 >50  
  25 1973-1998 40 -54 -68 -41 >50  
  10 1988-1998 43 -25 -39 -9    
  5 1993-1998 45 -22 -36 -9    
BBS UK 5 1994-1999 115 23 -3 56    
BBS England 5 1994-1999 103 12 -12 43    
The Breeding Bird Survey is jointly funded by BTO, JNCC and RSPB
 
 
Table of productivity information for Marsh Tit
Variable Period
(yrs)		 Years Mean
annual
sample		 Trend Predicted
in first year		 Predicted
in last year		 Change Comment
Clutch size 30 1968-1998 13 None       Small sample
Brood size 30 1968-1998 22 None       Small sample
Daily failure rate (eggs) 30 1968-1998 19 Linear decline 0.0082 nests/day 0.0018 nests/day -0.0064 nests/day Small sample
Daily failure rate (chicks) 30 1968-1998 19 None       Small sample
Laying date 30 1968-1998 14 Linear decline day 118 day 111 -7 days Small sample
 
Insufficient data on CES
available for this species

 
   



The report should be cited as: Baillie, S.R., Crick, H.Q.P., Balmer, D.E., Bashford, R.I., Beaven, L.P., Freeman, S.N., Marchant, J.H., Noble, D.G., Raven, M.J., Siriwardena, G.M., Thewlis, R. and Wernham, C.V. (2001) Breeding Birds in the Wider Countryside: their conservation status 2000. BTO Research Report No. 252. BTO, Thetford. (http://www.bto.org/birdtrends)

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