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Description In females and juveniles the mid-line stripe is narrower and sometimes discontinuous
The great tit is large for a tit at 12. 5 to 14. 0 cm (4. 9–5. 5 in) in length, and it is easily recognizable thanks to its unique appearance. The nominate race P. major major has white cheeks and ear coverts, a bluish-black crown, and black neck, throat, bib, and head. The breast is a vivid lemon-yellow color, with a wide black stripe running from the vent to the bib. On the upper nape of the neck, there is a dull white spot that is turning greenish yellow. The remainder of the nape and back have an olive green tinge. With a white wing bar, the wing is bluish-grey with green wing-coverts. The tail is bluish grey with white outer tips. The female’s plumage resembles that of the male, with the exception that the colors are generally duller; the bib and the line that runs down the belly are both narrower and occasionally broken, and the black color is less intense. [15] Juveniles resemble the adult female with the exception of having dull necks and napes that are olive-brown, greyish rumps, and greyer tails that have less distinct white tips. [10] The male’s plumage is usually bright, though subspecies variations exist.
There is some variation in the subspecies. P. m. In comparison to the nominate race, newtoni has a slightly longer bill, a slightly deeper green mantle, less white on the tips of its tails, and a wider ventral mid-line stripe on its belly. P. m. Corsus shares similarities with the nominate form, although it has duller upperparts, a less white tail, and a less yellow nape. P. m. Mallorcae resembles the nominate subspecies, but its underparts are slightly paler, its upperparts are greyer-blue, and it has a larger bill. P. m. ecki is like P. m. mallorcae except with bluer upperparts and paler underparts. P. m. Excelsus resembles the designated race in general, but it has considerably brighter green upperparts, bright yellow underparts, and very little or no white on its tail. P. m. Aphrodite’s underparts are more yellow to pale cream in color, while her upperparts are darker and more olive-grey. P. m. niethammeri is similar to P. m. aphrodite, however the underparts are pale yellow and the upperparts are duller and less green. P. m. Terrasanctae’s upperparts are marginally paler than those of the preceding two subspecies. P. m. blandfordi resembles the nominate but has lighter yellow underparts, a greyer mantle, and scapulars. m. karelini is intermediate between the nominate and P. m. blandfordi, and lacks white on the tail. The plumage of P. m. Bokharensis has considerably lighter underparts, ranging from creamy white to a faded grey, with a bigger white patch on the cheek, and grey tail, wings, back, and nape. Additionally, it has a longer tail but a smaller bill. For the two related subspecies of the Turkestan tit group, the circumstances are comparable. P. m. turkestanicus is like P. m. bokharensis but with a larger bill and darker upperparts. P. m. ferghanensis is like P. m. bokharensis, but the young birds have a more yellow wash, a darker grey flank, and a smaller bill. [10] Female great tit (left) and male (right).
One way that the male bird shows that he is better at reproduction than the female is by showing off his colorful breast, which has been linked to stronger sperm. Elevated carotenoid content makes the breast’s yellow color more intense and helps the sperm resist the damaging effects of free radicals. [16] Because the bird cannot synthesize carotenoids and must get them from food, a male’s bright color indicates that he is getting enough nourishment. [17] However, environmental elements like the weather also have an impact on how saturated the yellow color is. [18] Females select for the width of a male’s ventral stripe, which varies depending on the individual. It appears that higher quality females favor males with wider stripes. [15].
Voice Great tit song Another song type Great tit sonagram Great tit twittering
Like other tits, the great tit can produce up to 40 different calls and songs. Although both sexes call equally most of the time, the male calls much more frequently and the female calls less frequently. Contact calls are soft single notes like “pit,” “spick,” or “chit.” Adult males use a loud “tink” as a warning or during territorial disputes. One of the most well-known is “teacher, teacher,” which is used to claim territory and is frequently compared to a squeaky wheelbarrow wheel. [10] Historically, the “saw-sharpening” call was thought to portend rain in England. The calls of the two south Asian groups that recently split off from the great tit exhibit some variation [19–20], and the calls of the temperate great tits are not recognized by them, nor do they elicit a response. [10].
The Beau Geste hypothesis is one explanation for the great tits wide repertory. The protagonist of the book, who goes by the name of the protagonist, placed dead soldiers up against the battlements to make his fort appear more fortified than it actually was. In a similar vein, the volume of calls creates the illusion that the tits territory is occupied more densely than it actually is. Regardless of the validity of the theory, birds with extensive vocabularies exhibit social dominance and have higher rates of successful breeding. [21].