Great tit Parus major

Largest of the tit family, familiar in gardens and with the well-known two-note 'teach-err' song

Habitat: any area with suitable nest sites, with highest densities in deciduous woodland

Widespread and common resident

Most clearly marked of the garden tits, with black crown, white cheeks and bold belly stripe; 13–14 cm

Lively, intelligent and acrobatic birds

Feeds mainly on insects, supplemented by seeds, nuts, buds and occasionally young birds

Nest is made of moss lined with hair in a tree hole, a chink in a wall or a nest box

1 brood, usually April to May; 8–12 white eggs, thickly spotted reddish

When feeding young, collect up to 3,000 caterpillars per week