The great tit (parus major in Latin, and kjøttmeis in Norwegian) is a common sight in Norway. The birds have a distinctive blue and yellow plumage, with a black crown, nape and throat, and white cheeks. Both sexes have a black stripe running down the middle of the chest, but the male’s one is broader than the female’s. They measure about 14-15cm (the size of a sparrow) and weigh 14-22g.
Habitat includes forest, parks, hedgerows and gardens. They usually forage in trees and on the ground, feeding on insects, seeds, nuts, berries and fruit, as well as on kitchen scraps.
Both parents build the nest, which is made of moss and grass, and lined with hair and feathers. In late April or early May, the female incubates 5-11 eggs for 12-14 days. Eggs are smooth and glossy, and white with purplish-red spots. After the young hatch, they are fed by both parents. The chicks leave the nest after 2-3 weeks, although they are still dependent on their parents for a week or two.
Great tits are generally sedentary, though birds that breed in upland areas move to lowlands (altitudinal migration) for the winter. They are not considered to be globally threatened – indeed it is estimated that there are between 500.000 and 1 million pairs of great tits in Norway alone.