Here’s a full natural history and scientific overview of the Willow Tit (Poecile montanus) — a quiet but resilient little songbird of northern woodlands, known for its soft calls and adaptability to cold climates.

🐦 **Willow Tit (Poecile montanus)**

Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Paridae (Tits and Chickadees)
Genus: Poecile
Species: P. montanus

Common Names

Willow Tit
Northern Marsh Tit (formerly confused with Poecile palustris)
In some regions, called simply “Grey Tit” or “Moss Tit.”

General Description

The Willow Tit is a small, round-bodied songbird with a large head, short neck, and soft, fluffy plumage — perfectly adapted for cold northern forests. Although it looks very similar to the Marsh Tit, subtle differences in voice and habitat separate the two.

Length: 11–13 cm
Wingspan: 17–19 cm
Weight: 9–12 g
Plumage:
- Crown and nape: Glossy black.
- Cheeks: Clean white.
- Back: Greyish-brown.
- Underparts: Pale buff or greyish-white.
- Wing: No pale wing panel (unlike some related species).
- Bill: Short and dark; pale cutting edges often visible.
Tail is relatively long and slightly notched.
Sexes are alike in appearance; juveniles are duller and browner.

Distribution

The Willow Tit has a wide Palearctic distribution, extending across Europe and northern Asia, including:

Europe: From the British Isles and Scandinavia south to France, the Alps, and northern Spain.
Asia: Across Russia, Siberia, northern China, and Japan.
In Estonia and Northern Europe: Common and widespread, especially in mixed and coniferous forests.

Habitat

Favors moist, mixed, or coniferous woodlands, often near wetlands or streams.
In northern regions, common in spruce, pine, birch, and alder forests.
Also occurs in bog margins, willow thickets, and old forest clearings.
Unlike the Marsh Tit, it tolerates colder, wetter habitats and often occurs in younger, regenerating woodland.

Behavior

Resident year-round, does not migrate.
Forms small family or winter flocks, sometimes joining mixed-species groups with other tits, goldcrests, and treecreepers.
Known for its boldness and curiosity, yet quieter and more secretive than other tits.
Often seen hanging upside down while feeding among branches.
Cavity nester — excavates its own hole in rotten wood, unlike most tits that use existing holes.

Diet

Omnivorous:
- Insects, spiders, and other small invertebrates in summer.
- Seeds, berries, and tree buds in winter.
Food caching:
- Stores seeds and insects in bark crevices and moss during autumn for later use.
- Excellent spatial memory helps it relocate caches even months later.

Voice and Song

Distinctive nasal, buzzing call: “zee-zuh, zee-zuh” or “chay-chay”
The song is a soft, slow, descending whistle: “tsee-tsee-tsee-tyoo”
Calls are a key feature distinguishing it from the Marsh Tit, whose call is sharper (“pitchou”).

Breeding

Season: April to June.
Nest: Built in rotten tree stumps, willows, or birches — the pair excavates the cavity themselves.
Nest materials: Moss, plant fibers, and hair.
Clutch size: 6–10 eggs.
Eggs: White with fine reddish spots.
Incubation: 13–15 days (female only).
Fledging: 17–19 days after hatching.
Both parents feed the chicks.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List: 🟧 Near Threatened (Europe)
Global status:Least Concern, but declining in parts of Western Europe due to:
- Loss of deadwood in managed forests.
- Habitat fragmentation.
- Reduction in suitable rotting trees for nesting.
Populations remain stable in Scandinavia and the Baltic region, where natural forests persist.

Identification Tips: Willow Tit vs. Marsh Tit

Feature	*Willow Tit (P. montanus)*	*Marsh Tit (P. palustris)*
Voice	Harsh “zee-zuh”	Sharp “pitchou”
Cap	Matte black	Glossy black
Cheeks	White, meeting the neck	Often darker at the back edge
Habitat	Damp woodland, birch, alder	Drier, mature deciduous woodland
Behavior	Digs own nest cavity	Uses existing holes

Ecological Role

Important insect predator in northern forests.
Aids in seed dispersal and forest regeneration.
Its nest cavities are later used by other small birds and invertebrates.

Interesting Facts

One of the few European songbirds capable of excavating its own nest hole.
Despite harsh winters, it remains active year-round, surviving temperatures below −30 °C.
Can remember hundreds of food cache locations for months.
Each bird has slightly unique calls, which may help identify individuals within a flock.

In Estonia and Northern Europe

Common resident throughout Estonia, Finland, Sweden, and Norway.
Often found in spruce-birch forests, wet woodland edges, and peatland margins.
Calls are easily heard during late winter and early spring when pairs begin to establish territories.