Species Guide | Penduline Tit (Remiz pendulinus)
APPEARANCE
The Penduline Tit is a tiny bird predominantly made up of pale grey plumage with hints of yellow and white. Their backs are a darker brown or sometimes black color. Adults sport a distinctive mask across their faces. Adult Males can be distinguished from females as the female bird’s mask is slightly narrower.
Diet
The Penduline Tit primarily feed on insects and are known for their active foraging behavior. They use their long conical bill to probe cracks and open holes to catch prey. Occasionally, they also consume nectar, seeds, and fruits. They are adept at foraging for food, sometimes hanging upside-down on small branches, using their feet to maneuver branches and leaves to reveal prey.
HABITAT
They can be found in the wooded borders of marshes. However, from the map illustration, it can be observed that there are very few confirmed reports of Penduline Tits in the British Isles.
Note that this map is for a rough illustration of animal distribution across the UK1, whereby light green indicates officially confirmed sightings.
Behavior
The high-pitched whistled call is often the best indicator to their presence.
Penduline Tit Call:
Kuzey Cem Kulaçoğlu, xeno-canto.org
The name Penduline refers to the bird’s unique ability to construct intricate nests in the shape of a pendant. These nests are woven using spiderwebs, wool, animal hair, and other plant matter. They are suspended from twigs and branches in trees. In other parts of the world, members of the same family construct nests with two chambers. One of which is a false entrance, with the main entrance sealed by the parents for extra protection from predators. Penduline Tits are arguably the champions of all nest builders!
Due to low observation numbers, there is very little data supporting their nesting behavior. Incubation of eggs lasts for up to two weeks, with the nestlings then fledging within a further 18 days3.
STATS
Not enough data exists to report biometrics for this species.
NATURAL PREDATORS
Not enough data exists to report predators of these birds in the British Isles
Conservation Status
The Penduline Tit is registered as Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Global
Conservation Status
References
- Population data based on BTO assessment
- Featherbase
- Christopher M. Perrins, (2003). The Firefly Encyclopedia of Birds: Penduline Tits. Firefly Books. ISBN 978-1-55297-777-4.
