England’s Friendly Family of Tit Birds
Tits are a family of birds that are common in England. From blue to great to coal and long-tailed, these small intelligent and acrobatic birds are known for visiting our gardens (keep your milk bottles away, as they will even take the tops off to get the cream, but dairy is not good for them).
Read how to create safe havens for garden birds, and stop birds flying into windows.
You’ll often see these birds hanging upside down to feed, and offer flock together, to protect themselves against predators. Some (like great tits) even change their songs to be heard in city traffic.
Long-tailed tits are actually not in the same family, though often grouped with them. 90% of gardens are visited by blue tits! They are also common in woodlands and parks.
Rosefinches are native to Asia and India, but often visit England, as they migrate south. The pink-red plumage of the males is due to carotenoid pigments from eating fruits and berries.
