WILD BIRDS

These are birds no larger than 20 cm long. The great tit (Parus major, right), is the best-known species as well as one of the largest. Their colors vary, ranging from American species that are gray with black heads (such as Poecile gambeli and Poecile atricapillus) and some brown European species such as coat tits (Periparus ater) and marsh tits (Poecile palustris) to the blue of great tits (Parus major) and Eurasian blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) right through to the cool white of the azure tit (Cyanistes cyanus). The pattern on its head is highly characteristic, occasionally featuring a crest. The crested tit (Lophophanes cristatus), the gray-crested tit, the sultan tit (Melanochlora sultanea), the tufted titmouse and the rufous-vented tit are examples of tits with a crest. They have fairly short and pointed, yet stout, bills and sturdy, if rather short, feet.