Long-tailed Tit - notable records

Generally considered a sedentary, common and widespread breeding species, long-tailed tits can sometimes make surprisingly longer journeys, occasionally reaching the offshore islands in autumn.  Family parties of up to a dozen birds are not uncommon, but sometimes they gather in larger numbers.

1990 - Three reached Skomer 28 Nov.

1993 - A good breeding season judging by groups of up to 20 being widespread in autumn, 4 reaching Ramsey 26 Oct, 10 on 21 Nov and 3 Skokholm 24 Oct.

1994 - Frequently encountered, seen at Ramsey 2 Nov and 4 at Skomer 21 Nov

1995 - Population at high level judging by widespread occurrences throughout year.  6 reached Skomer 20 Oct with 7 there 31 Oct

1997 - Appeared to come through the cold spell unscathed as widespread in breeding season and mnay brood sseen.  6 reached Skomer 6 Oct, with 3 there 31 Oct;  6 on 12 and 15 Nov; and 5 on 14 Nov

1998 - 16 wandered as far as Skomer 14 Nov (SS)

1999 - One Skomer 15 Oct, 10 there 14 Oct.

2000 - 17 reached Skomer 15 Oct (JGB).

2002 - 7 were at Skomer on 24 Oct, 3 remaining for another day (JGB).

2004 - Up to 10 recorded Strumble Hd Oct-Dec. On Skomer, 2 were present 12 Oct and 2 moved east 2 Nov

2008 - On Ramsey - 6 on 22 Oct were the first records since 1995. Further records then ocurred with 4 on 30th and 25 on 31st Oct;  7 on 1st Nov and 8 on 3rd Nov.

On Skomer - four on October 24th and three on the 29th. Ten present on November 1st rising to 25 on the 3rd (highest ever record), a flock of 12 were seen heading for Grassholm on this day. Over 22 present on November 4th, ten  on the 5th. eight on the 6th, five on the 8th, and four on the 14th and 16th

2009 - A party of six on Skomer on 9th Nov.

2010 - Max counts 34 Freestone cottage 29th June and 30 Dinas Head on 1st Nov. Six on Ramsey on 6th Nov.

2011 - Max counts were 31 Porthclais on 7th Nov, 25 Ceiwbr on 16th Oct and 20 at Kilgetty on 2nd Oct and at Bosherston on 17th Nov

2016 - Max count of 12 at Teifi Marshes on 7th March and 16th June and Lydstep on 19th Oct.

2017 - Highest count 25 Stackpole on 1st Nov. Influx noted on Skomer in October, with 35 on 25th and 44 on 27th

2018 - Maximum count was 15 at Scolton on 14th Dec

Records extracted from the Pembrokeshire Bird Reports

British Long-tailed Tit - 1949 status

Aegithalos cuadatus rosaceus

Common resident in woods and copses even in the extreme west.  Some diminution after winter 1946/47, but still fairly common 1948.

R.M.Lockley, G.C.S.Ingram, H.M.Salmon, 1949, The Birds of Pembrokeshire, The West Wales Field Society

Long-tailed Tit - 2003-07

Suffering high mortality during severe winters, the breeding population during the 1984-88 survey was considered to be below optimum because of the effects of the cold winter of 1979. Numbers showed signs of recovery during the period of the survey and by 1988 it was estimated that between 1,100 and 1,600 pairs were breeding in the county, based on there being an average of six to eight pairs per occupied tetrad. The 2003-07 survey took place following a long period of mild winters and showed a 16% spread in distribution. The BBS findings suggested there was a 58% increase in Wales between 1994 and 2007, which if applied to the 2003-07 distribution gives an estimate of 2,500 breeding pairs in Pembrokeshire by the end of 2007.

Graham Rees

Fieldwork 2003-07 (based on 490 tetrads) 

Red = breeding confirmed = 134

Orange = breeding probable = 53

Yellow = breeding possible = 39

Total tetrads in which registered = 226 (46.1%)

Long-tailed Tit - 1994

Breeding resident

Mathew (1894) and Lockley et al. (1949) found the Long-tailed Tit to be a common resident.

Long-tailed Tits suffer high mortality during severe winters, the winters of 1949, 1962 and 1963 drastically reducing Pembrokeshire's population, but numbers recoup during subsequent milder periods. The 1979 cold spell had less effect but did mean that the Breeding Birds Survey of 1984-1988 was conducted during a recovery period and fewer Long-tailed Tits were found during the earlier years than towards the end of the survey. An estimated average density of six to eight pairs per tetrad was reached by 1988, suggesting a total county population of between 1,100 and 1,600 pairs. They were commoner on two of the plots in 1989 than in 1988, so our county estimate probably does not represent the maximum population possible.

Long-tailed Tits have a tendency to 'spill over' to atypical habitat during the autumn, being seen swinging about the cliff faces of the outer coast, while a few have reached the offshore islands of Skomer and Skokholm. A flock of 30 was seen at Skomer on 12 October 1967.

Fieldwork 1984-88 (based on 478 tetrads) 

Red = breeding confirmed = 109

Orange = breeding probable = 35

Yellow = breeding possible = 51

Total tetrads in which registered = 195 (40.8%)

Donovan J.W. & Rees G.H (1994), Birds of Pembrokeshire

Long-tailed Tit - 1970s breeding

Red = breeding confirmed

Orange = breeding probable

Yellow = breeding possible

Long-tailed Tit - 1980s winter atlas

The BTO winter atlas showed that Long-tailed Tits were present in most 10km squares during the winters of 1981-82, 1982-82 and 1983-84.

The darker the colour, the higher the relative total count for each 10km square.  The darkest blue represents 16-28 birds.

Graham Rees

Long-tailed Tit - 1894

Species account from M Mathew, 1894, "The Birds of Pembrokeshire and its islands"

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