Scientific name:
Parus ater

Natural spread:
Europe, Asia

our native titmouse-types is each other very similarly in its behaviors, essentially differs in the election of its habitat, however. So, the smallest titmouse-type, the fir-titmouse (11,5 cm of length), prefers Eurasia's high and dense needle-forest. Many spruces and firs determine its habitat, so that it with the bonnet-titmouse (Parus cristatus); 11,5-12 cm of length, is summarized gladly in the group "Needle-forest-titmice." However, the fir-titmice much more rarely than the bonnet-titmouse occur in pure jaw-forest. Here and there, they are also in the Mischwald (Z). B. Great Britain and Ireland, or, to find in the southern cork-oak-forests, in the south even in considerable altitudes (southwest-China until 4500 m).

Way of life The fir-titmice are stand-birds predominantly. The different coloring of the geographical races declares itself from it. North-Afghanistan's birds and one even views the northwest-like Himalaya as independent type, the black-mop of hair-titmouse (Parus melanolophus), meanwhile. Our native race differs only little from the cabbage-titmouse in the drawing. Through big nests, overcrowdings, above all, often are created if the continuance becomes less reduziet than in the other years through favorable weather. Then, invasions, that use early in the autumn, occur in Europe.

Food Between the needles and in tree-crannies, the fir-titmice look for insects and with preference after insect-eggs so that they are very useful for the forestry. In the winter, seeds of trees and shrubs supplement the food.

Brood The nests of the typical cave-breeders are densely in tree-caves over the earth to be even liked directly about the ground sometimes in burrows. The female builds a densely matted bowl, in which 7-9 (sometimes even 12) eggs are put, from moss and webs. While the female broods, it is fed (14-18 days) by the male. The boys leave the nest after 16-19 days, is however still looked after by the alto-birds approximately 2 weeks longer.