Blue tit Parus caeruleus

One of our favourite garden birds

Habitat: very adaptable, raising young anywhere with a few trees and a cavity for a nest

Widespread and common resident

Blue crown and plain yellow belly distinguishes from great tit; 11–12 cm

Brisk, bold and agile; in winter often joining flocks foraging in woodland

Feeds mainly on aphids, caterpillars and insects, plus some fruit, seeds and nuts

Nest of moss, grass, hair and wool in a tree hole, a crevice in a wall or a nest box

1 brood, usually April to May; 8–15 white eggs with red-brown spots

Start prospecting for nest sites early in the year