Great tit

Size: length – 12.5-14 cm; wingspan 22-25 cm, weight 16-25 g.

Vocalisations: The great tit is, like other tits, a vocal bird, and has up to 40 types of calls and songs. Soft single notes such as "pit", "spick", or "chit" are used as contact calls. One of the most familiar is a "teacher, teacher", often likened to a squeaky wheelbarrow wheel, which is usually used in proclaiming ownership of a territory.

Habitat: The great tit occupies a range of habitats. It is most commonly found in open deciduous woodland, mixed forests, forest edges and gardens. In dense forests, including conifer forests it prefers forest clearings.

Behaviour: Great tits are generally not migratory. Pairs will usually remain near or in their territory year-round. Great tits are gregarious birds that are active during the day and roost in flocks at night. They often forage on the ground and along with other tits, readily join winter mixed-species foraging flocks. In Latvia, there are 400,000-500,000 couples.

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