Willow Tit Life Cycle: Nest Building To Fledging (and everything in between)
Willow tits look very similar to marsh tits with only the pale panel on the wings of the willow tit differentiating the two species. In fact, for many years the willow tit wasn’t even recognised as its own species and were lumped in together with marsh tits with colour variations.
Willow tits have a sooty brown cap which stretches to the back of their necks and a black bib. They have mid-brown upper parts with whiter coloured cheeks and pale grey underparts.
Sexing these birds can be extremely difficult as they both look the same with the same markings. Keep reading to find out more about these fascinating rare little birds.
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How Long Does A Willow Tit Live?
The average life expectancy of the willow tit is around 3 years in the wild. According to ring records, the survival rate of juvenile willow tits in their first year is around 50% with the subsequent adult yearly survival rate being around 60%.
With that said, there have been ring recorded willow tits that have lived to the age of 11 years. With one 11 year old willow tit recorded in Finland and another in Nottingham UK.
How Fast Can A Willow Tit Fly?
Whilst there is no exact flight speed documented it is reasonable to assume that these small, agile birds have a similar size and behaviour pattern to other members of the tit family. Tits tend to take short flights through their wooded habitats and are often spotted darting between trees and shrubs.
For the purpose of comparison, many small passerines, like the blue tit for example (which is a relative of the willow tit) can reach speeds of up to 17 mph (29 km/h) or 8 metres per second. Blue tits and willow tits are very similar in size and weight and also have a similar wingspan.
Are Willow Tits Aggressive?
Willow tits are not aggressive birds at all which is one of the reasons why their numbers are in such decline here in the UK. WIllow tits bore into tree stumps to make holes as nesting sites.
These nests are then often stolen by the more aggressive blue tits and great tits. In many cases great spotted woodpeckers steal the eggs and chicks from the nests of the willow tit.
What Is A Willow Tit ‘s Habitat?
Another good way to distinguish between marsh tits and willow tits is their habitat. Willow tits prefer damp regenerating woodlands containing old dead wood. They remain in or near this habitat all year round.
Willow tits used to be quite common in the south east of the UK but their numbers have dwindled in these areas. You can still see willow tits in and around Wales, central England, Norfolk, Yorkshire, the north west of England and up as far as Northumbria and the Scottish borders.
How Long Does It Take For A Willow Tit To Build A Nest?
The nest building process begins in early spring with both partners digging the nest out of decaying wood. They typically choose dead birch trees or decaying willow trees.
Both birds will noisily dig out dead wood to create a cavity large enough to nest in. Once excavated, they line the nest with wood chips, moss, feathers, animal hair, and soft plant materials.
This building process typically takes anywhere between 3 to 7 days; however, in some cases, the building of the nest can take as long as 2 weeks!
Many times the nest is stolen from the pair by the more aggressive blue and great tits. If this does happen, the pair often don’t have enough energy to rebuild a new nest and therefore don’t reproduce that year.
Eggs
If all goes well, and they successfully build their nest and don’t lose it to more aggressive members of the tit family, the pair will start to raise their own brood. This process starts with egg laying, let’s take a closer look into the eggs of the willow tit.
When Do Willow Tits Lay Eggs?
Willow tits typically lay their eggs around mid April to mid May. The precise time of laying can vary due to weather or climatic conditions being unfavourable and a lack of readily available food sources.
How Many Eggs Does A Willow Tit Lay?
The female will lay an average of between 6 to 9 eggs. She will only lay one brood each year probably because of all of the energy expended excavating the nest and the extra energy needed to produce a clutch of eggs.
What Do Willow Tit Eggs Look Like?
The eggs are around 16 x 12 mm and weigh around 1.2 g. They are white and marked with red/brown spots or blotches which are often mainly on the broader end of the egg.
The eggs of the willow tit are very similar in size and colour to those of the blue tit.
How Long Do Willow Tit Eggs Take To Hatch?
The eggs are incubated by the female for around 13 to 15 days with the male bringing her food to sustain her. She incubates the eggs alone with the male only supplying food to her during this time.
Once the eggs hatch, both parents will care for the chicks.
Chicks
The next stage in the development is the eggs hatch and the chicks appear. Let’s look at the chicks of the willow tit.
How Many Chicks Does A Willow Tit Have?
Despite the environmental and predatory challenges faced by the willow tit, many breeding pairs will successfully raise all of their chicks. In some cases this means 8 or even 9 chicks all needing to be cared for as soon as the eggs hatch.
This keeps both parents busy with finding enough food of sufficient calorific value to sustain these young, hungry chicks and help them develop into fully fledged adults.
When Do Willow Tit Chicks Open Their Eyes?
Willow tit chicks come into the world, blind and naked. They rely on their parents for everything including food and temperature adjustment.
They typically get full eyesight at around days 4 to 6 and can leave the nest after around 15 to 20 days.
When Do Willow Tit Chicks Fledge?
Willow tit chicks become stronger every day, developing their wings and muscles enabling them to fly.
They typically fledge the nest around 18 to 20 days after hatching. After fledging, the chicks typically stay with the parents for a short while with the parents still feeding and protecting them whilst teaching them how to forage for food.
Depending on climatic and environmental conditions this period of parental upbringing can last for as little as 4 to 5 days, or as long as 2 to 3 weeks. This extended period of parental care is vital for the fledglings development and helps them gain a better chance of surviving on their own later on.
SEE ALSO: Blue Tit vs Great Tit: Key Differences Explained
Frequently Asked Questions
The average lifespan of a willow tit is around 3 years however, there have been individual birds that have survived for 11 years according to ring records.
WIllow tit eggs are very similar to blue tit eggs. They are white with reddish/brown spots or blotches which are typically concentrated at the broader end of the egg.
The willow tit’s habitat is wet woodlands or damp woodland edges. They rely on dead wood for nesting which makes damp woodland plantations the ideal habitat for these interesting members of the tit family.
