Marsh Tit
Marsh Tit
Identification is not easy as Marsh Tits and Willow Tits are very similar. Marsh Tits resemble a miniature Great Tit in shape. The black cap is glossy in colour and does not extend as far back down the nape as that in the Willow Tit. The upperparts are a uniform brown, darker on the wings and there is no pale wing panel. The black bib is slightly smaller than in the Willow Tit and is more neatly defined.
The calls of Willow and Marsh Tits are very different. The most commonly heard call note for the Marsh Tit is a clear ‘pitchou’, whereas that uttered by the Willow Tit is a thin ‘zi-zurr-zurr-zurr’ or equally thin ‘zee-zee-zee’.
There are not many Marsh Tits in Scotland, particularly in the North. Marsh Tits are unlikely to nest in gardens. If they do so, they prefer their boxes to be close to the ground (c. 1m
Marsh Tit young
Marsh Tit eggs
Nesting Information
- Nest box with 25mm hole.
- The nest is made of moss and lined with soft material such as hair.
- Egg-laying starts between early April and mid June. One brood.
- 6 to 8 eggs. White with speckling.
- Incubation 13-14 days
- Nestlings fledge after 16-18 days.
More facts about this species
For more information about Marsh Tits, see the BTO’s BirdFacts and Wider Countryside Report.
