Willow Tit

Willow Tits aren’t rare birds. There are hundreds of millions of adults across Europe and Asia. In the UK though? Their population declined by 83% between 1995 and 2017.

Willow Tits, Poecile montanus, can be quite tricky to identify. They look almost identical to Marsh Tits, Poecile palustris. Here’s what a Marsh Tit looks like:

Lovely, aren’t they? Here’s another Marsh Tit:

The collapse in Willow Tit numbers in the UK may be due to several factors, including loss of their habitat, competition for nest holes, and their eggs and chicks being eaten by Great Spotted Woodpeckers.

I’ve finally seen a Willow Tit and managed just two poor photographs of it. Here’s what that Willow Tit looked like:

At least it won’t go hungry.